


Riled and Reserved

by Anlaria



Category: Mayans M.C. (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:34:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 40,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28698492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anlaria/pseuds/Anlaria
Summary: The Stow sisters are in trouble and Bishop Losa still owes Lydia Stow a favor. In order to get out of trouble with the Russian's, Lydia needs to know her sister will be safe while she does what she does best. Bishop can't find it in him to say no and Romero's could use the extra hands.
Relationships: Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes/Original Female Character(s), Obispo "Bishop" Losa/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set after S2, EZxOC, BishopxOC

AN: I am new to the Mayans world, please do not hesitate to point out something I have missed, I have had such a hard time writing during this past year that I needed something to get me going again so I decided to run with the first idea for a new fanfic. I had read a few within community and I am obsessed with this idea of someone working in the scrap shop and is basically my version of that. I hope someone enjoys, this was actually fun to write and came very naturally. I'm so happy I found the show and got inspired to write this.

Chapter One

Wound

Lydia Stow had never once been described as emotional, there hadn’t been a situation yet she didn’t approach with calm, logical confidence that unnerved anyone who witnessed it. Her younger sister, Constance Stow, Connie for short and because it matched her better when she was younger, was only ever described as emotional. Lydia knew that this was the one thing her and her sister were polar opposites on, this was how they were going to be judged in their family and among their peers. She also decided that it was bullshit and she would do all she could to make it a non-issue. Connie was over fifteen years younger than Lydia, a fact that she wasn’t going to forget having recently turned forty herself, while watching Connie literally launch herself at twenty-five. The Stow Sisters was too obvious of an alliteration for either of them to fall prey to but if there was two thing’s that they were exactly alike in and agreed with was how they attacked experience, age was just more guns in the arsenal to get what one wanted and where and they would have been a punk band in another life.

That's potentially how they ended up on the road to Santo Padre, for as much distance from Los Angeles as possible, in the middle of a cool fall night in a sleek – stolen – black, Asian branded coupe, with the windows down, both taking hits from a blunt – also stolen – while they fulfilled their sisterly, polar opposite traits. Lydia was calculating her moves out down this path while jumping back to others with new ideas, she hadn’t looked Bishop in the eye in over fifteen years after all. It was only a fool who expected blind loyalty like that.

While Connie had tears streaking her face and her body occasionally wracked with sobs, her knees tangled awkwardly in an attempt for warmth, one arm wrapped around her ribs and the other shakily holding the blunt. She was also only wearing her party dress because she didn’t listen to take the time to change when they stopped to get gas and then was too stubborn to accept extra time to do it. She had shaved her legs toe-tip to hip bone for her birthday party and now she was still speckled in Ivan’s blood, every time she thought she had every spot she found another and watched him get shot execution style right in front of her all over again. She knew the Russian mobsters that had pulled the both of them from the club dance floor that night were going to kill the both of them that night. They thought they could save a bullet and aim the bullet to go through Igor’s skull right into Connie’s but they were also a little drunk and terrible at geometry and the bullet only managed to graze her neck. There were bunched up Subway napkins held on by antibiotic ointment – paid for – Lydia confirmed she was going to be fine until they got to their destination.

Every time the napkins made a crinkling noise in her ear, Connie jumped. Lydia sometimes would comfort her, just reaching out to hold her hand for a moment, but she was too busy thinking of a plan. Connie sometimes wanted her sister to be more like herself, just let everything fall apart just to tend to her baby sisters needs. But that wasn’t Lydia, her older sister was a pragmatist and that was how she was going to get the both of them out of this situation alive.

They finally approached a sign on the highway for the first time in what felt like hours and Lydia straightened up. “Kill it, I don’t want any attention.”

Connie took one last drag before snuffing the cherry and flicking the roach out of the car window while Lydia rolled up the windows. “Santo Padre?” Connie asked confused as they passed the sign.

“How’s your Spanish?” Lydia asked as she brushed her hair out with one hand and drove with the other.

Connie reached into her purse and pulled out a small spray bottle and doused herself, the car and Lydia in strong citrus scent to cover the smell of the blunt. “It hasn’t gotten me in trouble yet.” Connie answered, feeling confident in that knowledge at least.

“Lets hope it stays that way.” Lydia mumbled. She looked over at her sister who was still only stubbornly wearing a tiny, nearly nothing party dress, strappy heels and the scarf that had been in the back seat of the car. “God you look like an abandoned baby. That might help us.”

One of Lydia’s bad habits, in Connie’s opinion at least, was how badly she was at providing details or providing background. She wasn’t going into another life or death situation without as many facts as she could get out of her older sister. “Please explain who this is so I can help you sell this or I go in hot.” Connie said threateningly.

Lydia was already getting more used to the idea of bringing Connie into the fold, but it was hard. She had been taking care of her little sister from when she was a girl and now she was a woman in her own right but it was hard to let go. “Fine.” Lydia accepted peacefully. Connie looked shocked there wasn’t a fight. “Bishop was there when I was in Iraq.” She explained succinctly. Connie looked away awkwardly. Iraq was not a time that was ever spoken about. That was the deal. “He helped me and I helped him. Bishop heads a charter of a motorcycle club that's basically just a gang, that helps transport guns and drugs across the boarder and that's a good place to hide from Russians.”

Connie leaned over the arm rest with a serious look. “Did you fuck him?”

“That’s not relevant.” Lydia responded rolling her eyes, trying to focus on the road and avoid crashing the car or see her blush.

The Stow sisters were always betrayed by a blush that took over their nose when they couldn’t sell a lie. Lydia looked like a beacon for Santa. “You did.” Connie snickered. She enjoyed seeing a part of her older sisters history where she might have had some joy in her life. “I will look like a lost little puppy that just wandered into the wrong club after school.” She swore.

Lydia shook her head at her sister. “Don’t go crazy with it, don’t commit to a role, Constance. He doesn’t know I have a sister, this was before I found you.”

“God, I forget how old you are.” Connie exclaimed.

Lydia turned to look at her sister with flashing eyes. “Sometimes you are lucky for the fact that they saw us together that I don’t just leave you at the boarder.”

Connie smiled at her sister and made a kissy face at her until she rolled her eyes. “I love you too.”

Lydia sighed. She was glad that Connie was at least not crying anymore but she needed her to be serious. “I knew him when he was a military man and now he’s the exact opposite. Please treat this like any other motorcycle crew you find in a bar. Try not to fuck any of them. At least while we are still working on getting your dead boyfriends murders off our tail.”

“I didn’t even like him that much, he just threw great parties and never stopped paying for everything. Oh and one of his security guys was a great lay.” Connie groaned as she looked forlornly out the window.

In her bones Lydia felt like she was supposed to scold Connie for any one of those comments but they were adult sisters now and the things Lydia had managed to get out of with her life would put Connie to shame. “I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same for my twenty-fifth birthday.”

Lydia glanced back at her messages to see if there was anything else from Bishop. Only the address he texted her after they spoke on the phone hours ago. He hadn’t been sleeping but she could tell he was stressed. She had to pull at his honor strings to agree and he did not want to. It didn’t take long once they were off the highway to find the home. It was a nondescript home in a decent enough area with a sleek older, black Lincoln in the drive way parked away from the garage. Lydia parked on the street. She knew better than to limit her ways out of a situation.

“This is it.” Lydia said nodding to the home on the right of them while texting Bishop she had arrived but before she hit send her sister clicked her tongue and Lydia looked up to see a familiar form standing outside of the house, away from the front door, closer to the street looking stern.

“Oh, he’s hot in that grumpy, rugged kinda way.” Connie said nudging her sister.

Lydia looked away. She didn’t want to spectate Bishop through a stolen car window. He deserved much more than that. “Constance, please do not fuck any of them.” Lydia said flatly. This was something Lydia needed to state expressly with Connie on a fairly regular basis, and even more so now.

Connie made a face. She was a lover and she was also an opportunist. “I will only fuck one and I promise it won’t be him.” She swore.

Lydia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. It wasn’t ideal but it would at least keep Bishop out of her sisters path of sexual advances. “Deal.”

Stepping out of the car first, Lydia was aware that after driving for hours she looked disheveled to say the least, she had been at the tail end of a ten hour work day when she got the frantic call from her sister to begin with. Lydia made it out of Iraq, under her mothers grasp, all those years ago to open a private investigative firm. It was the most legit work she could have while not being beholden to every rule and law. She also opened up the firm with her oldest partner, her so-called-uncle, making leaving in the middle of the night more manageable and a possibility that had been planned out and practically expected. She had already left Uncle Ted a voicemail with the coded message of what was happening but with the barest of details. She didn’t want anyone else implicated in what was going to be happening from this point on.

Bishop stood waiting for her on the sidewalk in front of his home with his arms tight across his chest, tensed and on edge. She could make out all of the lines on his face even in the darkness as he looked at her with strained. soulful eyes. Lydia was surprised that a mustache would be able to stir anything within her, but she was unbearably drawn in. “Lyd, this better be good.” Bishop grumbled, shaking her from her thoughts.

This new Bishop was close to what Lydia had been preparing herself for, but she still found that softness in his eyes and she knew she had a chance. Before she could speak, the passenger door opened and Connie stood up as awkwardly as a newborn giraffe. “Bishop, meet my younger sister Constance.” Lydia said quickly as she looked back to Bishop and saw his eyes wide and confused. “Found out Mary was in fact not done having children and left one in the system while I was on my dutiful daughter tour of the world and came back to find Connie after I was flagged by customs almost fourteen years ago.”

Connie walked up to Lydia’s side shivering in her tiny shift dress that barely covered her bits with tiny spaghetti straps falling lamely on her shoulders with only Lydia’s scarf to try and keep warm. “You got out of that fine it seems.” Bishop commented.

Lydia shrugged. “I’m resourceful.”

Bishop snorted. “Is that what this is?” He asked irritated.

There wasn’t a moment that Lydia believed Bishop a stupid man, he was the opposite. He wasn’t going to be swept up in big speeches or damsel in distress to fall at his feet. He wanted the honest truth. “I need a favor, Bishop.” Lydia said quietly with pleading eyes. This was the truth, she really was desperate. Bishop sighed through his nose before motioning his arm toward his front door.

Bishop had made sure his dogs were locked away before he let the sisters in his home. They were particular about the women they were introduced to, due to the past abuse they had suffered before he adopted them about four years earlier. It would be a smoother night if they weren’t part of the equation. Inside, right at the foyer Bishop kept the sisters with only the light of the small chandelier above their heads while the rest of his home was dark and quiet.

He stood with his feet wide and his arms firm at his sides. He was trying to appear stern and not fall into the wiles that he knew the elder Stow sister possessed. “What happened?” Bishop pressed.

Lydia didn’t hesitate to begin to answer. “Turns out my sister’s boy-toy had a – conflict – with the Russians and he got executed in front of her at her birthday party no less.” She wasn’t going to give Bishop more than he needed because she only needed him to watch out for Connie, she was going to handle this herself and she didn’t need him pulled into any trouble.

Bishop’s jaw clenched. “Russians aren’t sloppy, how did you get out?” He asked with a suspicious brow.

Connie was warming up now that she was inside, but she was still shivering heavily. “They were drunk and missed their first shot. I’m small and weaseled my way outta there to my sister.” Her teeth chattered so much while she spoke she sounded like she was in pain.

He looked at Connie like she was a lost puppy that had just gotten dumped in the gutter in front of his eyes. “Lyd’s a good person to have in a pinch.” Bishop said, softening up.

Lydia took half a step toward him. “You are also a good person to have in a pinch.”

Bishop growled under his breath. “My life is very different now, you don’t know what I’m in the middle of.”

“I know it might be dangerous, but she is good on her feet and can keep herself out of heat. I need her somewhere the Russians won’t look to find her while I go fix this. Somewhere I know someone can help her out if she absolutely needs it.” Lydia continued to beg without mercy.

Bishop had more points to make. He had already spent the time fleshing out his potential arguments with Lydia while he waited for her to arrive before he even knew about the option of her having a sister. He wasn’t unprepared or nervous about confronting Lydia but seeing her tenderly reach out for her little sisters stray hairs and tuck them behind her ear made it hard to remember why he was going to say no when he was faced with Lydia in the flesh. More than any of that, he knew he’d hate himself for the rest of his life he didn’t at least try and repay her for what she did for him in Iraq.“Fine, but you listen to everything I say, got it?” Bishop said to Connie with a pointed finger.

Connie took in a shuddered breath. “I can do that, I’m sorry I fucked everything up again.” She said shaking her head, turning her body toward Lydia.

Lydia had a small smile as she shook her head and reached out to touch the napkins still stuck to Connie’s neck. “Its just extra spice in our lives. I’m just glad that bullet missed.” She said earnestly as she pulled the napkin away from the wound to inspect the damage in proper light rather than a grimy gas station bathroom.

Connie was going to have a hell of a scar with or without stitches. She didn’t need them but it wouldn’t hurt. It wasn’t a small bullet that grazed her. Neither Stow women were at all distraught by scars. Connie had a knot of a scar that started in her hairline and down the side of her head from getting thrown into a wall, years and years ago. Lydia had three scars from bullets alone, and they were the smallest of the scars she had suffered. This injury wasn’t going to shake either of them.

Bishop cursed in Spanish but it was too fast for Lydia or Connie to catch after he glanced over Lydia’s head to see the wound. “Jesus, I’ll get my kit.” He mumbled as he walked away toward his garage.

Connie gripped Lydia’s arm in a panic, making the older woman scoff. “Its not that bad, its just gooey and bloody.” Lydia huffed.

Connie hadn’t relaxed and she was busy taking in the points of the home that Lydia had trained her to. Lydia was sad that she had to present the world this way to Connie, but it was how she got away from actual murderers. So, she knew she at least did the right thing, even if it felt like Connie was cheated from a normal life.

Lydia squeezed Connie’s arm. “You can trust him. He owes me, to be fair I still owe him as well, he has a few good reasons to keep us alive.”

“You should fuck him again then.” Connie whispered back.

“Connie, I love you, but you need to stop talking about my sex life so much. Its really concerning.” Lydia said seriously.

“Don’t you want to be happy with someone?” Connie asked sadly, painfully, and desperate to know.

Lydia was never able to open the door to her emotions like Connie was. She would go in there, obviously it was her own room. But others didn’t need to go in there. They could borrow emotions and return them like a library. Others got to gain whatever knowledge or experience from Lydia and then leave. No one took pieces of her. She didn’t think anyone had but she held onto Bishops name far longer than she needed to. She kept his name close to her. “Stop making heart eyes, we’re adults now.” Lydia snapped.

Connie sighed in anguish. “Yes and its really sad.”

The door Bishop had disappeared behind opened again and he returned carrying a small plastic case. “Sorry, I’m usually at the club, didn’t know where I left it. Come on, I have an extra room.” He said motioning toward the hallway.

Bishop led them to a room with just a queen size bed and a TV on a dresser. It was exactly what they needed at the moment. Lydia made Connie sit on the bed and took the kit from Bishop and started looking through it. Seeing Connie still shivering, Bishop pulled an extra blanket from one of the drawers in the room and put it around her shoulders, wordlessly. Connie still thanked him as she curled up in the blanket while she held onto the napkins waiting for her sister. Once Lydia had her materials, she cleaned up the graze, making butterfly stitches work for the night at least. Bishop had offered to take them to their patch guy. Finally free from the loose hold of the Subway napkins, Connie finally relaxed a little positioned herself against the pillows in the warmth of the blanket.

“Can I have some water?” Connie asked while she tenderly touched the stripe of gauze pad along her neck.

“Yeah,” Bishop said looking ashamed that he hadn’t already thought of that and quickly left the room.

Lydia was waiting for an organic moment alone with Bishop and jumped on it. “Stay here,” she whispered harshly to Connie who stuck her tongue out at her, as she left.

With all of the trash from the bandaging in her hands, Lydia followed Bishop to his kitchen. He was getting a bottle of water from his fridge and jumped to look at her when she dropped the trash into the trash bin.

“Just need to wash my hands.” Lydia said holding up her blood stained hands.

He sighed and nodded his head toward the sink. Lydia walked over to the sink and started washing her hands. Bishop stood where he was for the time being.

“You two are close.” He commented to fill the silence with something before he took to cataloging every feature of the woman in his kitchen.

Lydia glanced over her shoulder to Bishop, there were unasked questions on his face, in his eyes, how he stood like an animal ready to run from danger or attack at any time. He was on guard for himself, who else was going to be. She couldn’t blame him. “I raised her, I wasn’t going to let Mary get her hands on another child to ruin.”

“Does she know how we met?” He asked seriously.

There were many reasons for Bishop to be afraid of anyone knowing what happened in Iraq and Lydia wasn’t going to undermine his fear. “She knows we met in Iraq. She knows what I was doing in Iraq.” She answered as much as she could. There was a lot about that time she did not want to revisit.

“So, she got the Lydia version.” He chuckled knowingly.

She finished rinsing her hands off, turned the tap off and turned to take the hand towel from the side of the sink. “Whats that mean?” Lydia asked curiously as she dried her hands. There weren’t many people who had any insight into Lydia like Bishop had, he was with her side by side for months during an impossible time in her life. She was genuinely curious about what he gleaned from her.

Bishop was unnerved at Lydia’s curious gaze, she wasn’t bating him. She was interested in his opinion. He didn’t let his nerves get the better of him. “Your analysis of the situation and none of the small details that might have mattered.” He snapped at her, a little more harshly then he meant to.

It wasn’t an unfair assessment of the Lydia he knew. But it wasn’t true now, having to raise an eleven year old out of the blue makes for personal growth. She waited a few years but she eventually explained everything to Connie so she could fully understand what happened. “We’ve talked about what happened to me and how I was treated there, but she doesn’t know about you. I kept you secret, like I promised.”

Bishop stepped closer to her, his arms crossed over his chest again, a little awkwardly with the water bottles while looking like an intimidating tactic but really he was protecting himself from her. He was not stupid enough to keep his hands free around her. “Until now.”

Lydia shrugged easily and took a mimicking step to close the rest of the space between them. Intimidation didn’t work well on Lydia, she liked calling bluffs too much to pretend she was scared of what men could do to her. They had no idea what she could do to them. “It was my sisters life, I made a choice.”

Being only five-and-a-half-feet tall like her sister, heels were a weapon to Lydia. These ones were shorter but she only needed to be able to look Bishop in the eye, this wasn’t a power move. It was to stir nostalgia. Looking at Bishop at perfect eye level was just another way to remind him of all those years ago and she wanted that feeling to make him more apt to help her. Bishop was breathing harder than he had been and he finally broke eye contact by running his fingers through his hair. “I would have done the same.” He admitted with a sigh.

Appealing to his loyalty seemed to be doing the trick. There wasn’t any further reason for them to be standing in the kitchen. Lydia’s hands were dry. Bishop was clutching a water bottle in each hand. It was a game of chicken that neither of them truly wanted to end but Lydia wasn’t going to trust Connie alone this long. Her little sister’s survival instincts would start kicking in and she would just start blindly stealing. But Lydia wasn’t going to have another moment like this with Bishop. Eventually they would leave this spot and they would never have the moment again. It was simply what time took from them. So, she very gently put her fingers on his cheek and held onto his arm with the other while she kissed his cheek as tenderly as she could before letting go and walking back toward the room, knowing they both needed a moment away from each other.

It took Bishop a minute to gather himself. He was still locked in place by the fact that he had held his phone in his hands a few hours ago and promised himself he wouldn’t let this happen. He was already lying to himself. The water bottles were condensing in his hands and he realized he had been standing alone for a little too long. He walked back down the hall and found the bedroom door still open, waiting for him. He sighed and walked back into the room to find Connie sitting forward on the bed and Lydia sitting at her feet on the bed.

He handed the waters to them before taking a step back, he wasn’t trying to get comfortable at the moment. “Bathroom is across the hall. There are spare clothes in the drawers. My room on the other side of the house. Be prepared to meet my dogs in the morning, they might be just your size.” Bishop chuckled to Connie as he closed the door.

Connie looked at her sister in confusion. “Prepared?”

“Big pit-bulls, I saw pictures of them in the house and he always kept dogs. Even on the base. Never surprise dog owners.” Lydia commented seriously.

Connie hadn’t thought about it before but her sister was right, like she usually was. “Good rule.” She admitted as she stood up from the bed. “Think I can shower with this?” She asked touching the tape on her neck.

“Yeah, you’re fine.” Lydia confirmed as she took her shoes off. Connie decided it was time to put on more clothes than what she was wearing and get the blood off of her once and for all.

One of Connie’s favorite things in life was going through other peoples drawers just to see how they kept their things, what was supposed to be in the drawers or hung up or just away from prying eyes. What needed to be hidden. It was her favorite social experiment. Looking through the drawers of Bishop she could immediately see his military training. Everything was folded, and neatly, presented proudly. He was the kind of man that showed care to even the things few people would see. Lydia was weak for soft men, it was all starting to make sense.

Peeking through the pile was a faded black tee that was still soft to the touch. Connie snatched it and held it up to look at the logo. “Mayans?”

“His motorcycle club.” Lydia answered nodding toward the door where Bishop had been standing. She didn’t bring up to either of them that she had emailed her assistant to pull up anything she could find on Obispo Losa in ten minutes and email it to only her before getting rid of the files and never speaking about it again. Rachel was a fantastic assistant and was just as nosy as her while also being annoyed with the law. The file was a cursory over view but it gave Lydia all of the foresight she would need with Bishop.

Connie put the shirt to the side for Lydia to wear. It didn’t feel right for her to wear it over her sister. She took the faded blue Corona shirt waiting underneath for herself. “Is this club a big deal?” Connie asked starting to panic a little.

Connie knew that there were real gangs tied to motorcycle clubs but she didn’t feel like she was in the home of a hardened criminal when she closed the shirt drawer to pull the pants drawer and found more precisely folded clothes. But she knew better than to be surprised by people anymore.

Connie took two pairs of black sweat pants and handed the Mayans shirt with a pair to her sister.“Maybe.” Lydia answered as made a face at the shirt in her hands. She knew what her sister was playing at. The game was already afoot and this might be laying it on too thick but she didn’t reject it.

“Do I need a gun?” Connie asked with her fists on her hips, her shirt and pants slung on her shoulder. Connie was very lucky in her ability to not get shot but her shooting was piss poor on a good day.

“No, but you need to befriend the closest person to you with a gun.” Lydia answered quickly, this was a trick that saved her more times then she cared to admit.

“Can we have a vacation after this?” Connie asked annoyed.

“Maybe.” Lydia didn’t like to make promises she couldn’t keep.

“Why are you answering with so many maybes?” Connie huffed throwing her arms up.

“Because I don’t know whats going to be required to get out of this.” Lydia answered honestly and sternly.

Connie looked down at her feet, partly in shame and understanding of the gravity of the situation. “New rule after this, no more Russians.” She said as she reached out to touch a loose lock of her older sisters hair, something she often did to calm herself.

“We’ll leave it open to review.” Lydia offered with a smile.

Connie accepted the response and turned to leave the room to take the shower she wanted. Lydia took the time to change into the clothes that were chosen for her. The clothes didn’t have the same scent that Bishop carried with him, but it was still something familiar. Something safe. Sitting on the bed, under the covers barely watching the Discovery Channel, she waited for Connie to finish with her shower so she wouldn’t be alone with the fact that Bishop was on the other side of the house.

She respected the dogs but they weren’t enough to keep her away on their own. What she did have respect for was Bishop’s privacy, she didn’t have the right to force her way into his room just because he pointed it out. She had done enough forcing her problems into his home. Being alone and able to rest for the first time since she got the call from her sister, Lydia got to process her thoughts.

There was a primal moment she knew she would go to Bishop first, before Uncle Ted or any of the professionals she worked with that could help her in this pinch. Hearing Connie sobbing on the phone, wasn’t a new experience for Lydia, but hearing her sister frantic, viscerally screaming about what had happened, the elder Stow was filled with a panic that hadn’t vexed her in years. The only thought that came to mind was one name, Bishop. She needed someone who would only do exactly what Lydia needed and only Lydia. And if someone could give that to her it was going to be Bishop. She had yet to come up with a back up if anything fell through with Bishop. She wasn’t all that surprised, he had always been one of a kind.

Suddenly every point on her body that the shirt touched felt like it was on fire, burning from an embarrassment she hadn’t felt in years. He always managed to get the strongest feelings out of her. She knew wearing this shirt in front of Bishop was going to be a low blow but it would be an effective hit. Her first priority was keeping her sister alive, then everyone else, herself included, would get sorted out. There was something about the shirt that made her want to hold onto it. She wouldn’t, she knew better to bring something back that could point anyone to her sister. But it was going to be hard to leave behind.

After all, so was Bishop.

AN: Review!


	2. Asset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Still having a lot of fun writing this, strange enough, I have tried to not hold myself at a crazy standard while writing this. Still very much open to thoughts and comments. Enjoy!

Chapter Two

Asset

Bishop had thought about Lydia Stow more in the past fifteen years than he cared to admit. But he had never said her name aloud to anyone. She was kept in her own little box, not to be disturbed, in his memories. She was a pure as memories could be. But now reality took away any imagination he might have had about what she would be like. He always assumed she would be different all these years later but he didn’t think he’d be onsite ready to drop everything in his life he was juggling but damn there he was, like a day hadn’t past. Dropping everything in his life to help her.

He knew the moment he saw her park the car that it was stolen. It was her kind of car sure but nothing she’d actually pay for and watching her get out of it made him want to buy a car just like it so he could watch her eternally get out of the car. She was wearing a black narrow heel, with fitted black pants and a billowy black top. All of her body was a flowing movement out of the vehicle with a grace that deserved poetry Bishop wasn’t sure he was capable of writing. That possibility wouldn’t stop him from trying. He wanted to make a comment about her coming from a funeral but he was glad he didn’t when he saw her sister spotted in blood, with napkins trying to hide the substantial wound from the elements in a dress that left little be revealed. Connie Stow was definitely Lydia’s sister. They both had the same soft auburn hair and huge doe eyes, elegant necks, timing of a dead albatross and overall ability to stir trouble.

He wasn’t a dumb man, he knew she was here because she needed something from him. Sitting on her sister while they sorted out club business was not something he should have agreed to. But he had done far worse for Lydia a lifetime ago, and he knew deep down that it wasn’t any different now. He was going to do whatever she needed.

After settling the Stow sisters in his extra room, Bishop tried to go to bed with his dogs Tiny and Moe and go to sleep now that his business was done for the day but he was too stirred now. All he could think about was feeling her lips on his cheek for the first time in all these years. He never felt like this when a sweet-butt would be soft with him like that, he hadn’t felt what it was like in so long he didn’t immediately remember how intoxicating one woman could make the smallest action. And now he was even more ruined. There wouldn’t be a day he would stand in that kitchen and not think about that moment. The guest room would permanently be a vision of her gently tending to her sister. Even his front yard was going to be burned with only the memories of her approaching him in the dark, cold and in need. He wasn’t stupid enough to think he was her only option, but there was a pride that he felt knowing Lydia found him to help protect her sister. She skipped over whatever other options she had and went straight to Bishop for the task of keeping her sister alive.

Between spending his night thinking about Lydia and the shit his club was in the middle of, he didn’t realize the sun had started to rise and soon enough the dogs were ready to go outside and follow their morning routine. Bishop gave them both a treat from the bag he kept in his bedside table to distract them long enough for him to take a quick shower and get dressed. He slipped out when he was dressed, keeping the dogs in his room and checked the living room window quickly to make sure that Coco had gotten his message to come pick up the car and scrap it and replace it with another working decent car within the day. The black coupe was missing and Bishop was able to breathe easy about one thing at least being taken care of before he made his way to the guest bedroom.

It was barely eight in the morning but the dogs had a routine and they didn’t care if anyone had a long night. Bishop knocked firmly on the door and waited close by to listen for any movement. He almost knocked again because he hadn’t heard anything but before he could raise his fist the door opened. Lydia stood close to the door with only half of her body showing, her long auburn hair spilling down her shoulder and he realized she was wearing one of his Mayans shirts.

Bishop’s first instinct was not one could linger on if he wanted to be productive for the rest of the day. He cleared his throat and turned his head away to force a cough to keep himself from slipping so early in the morning. “Get Connie, go sit on the couch, the dogs need to meet you.” He ordered gruffly before he pulled the door closed.

Bishop stomped away from the door. All he wanted was a cigarette and some coffee before he figured out if he could keep his charter from falling apart while sitting on a Stow sister. He was starting to get annoyed and it wasn’t a good sign this early. He disappeared back into his room to give the sisters a few minutes to get themselves together. He had recently introduced Tiny and Moe to Letty and it went fine but it was still dicey and the stay did not last long. He hadn’t tried exposing them to two women at once since they were both so unpredictable with just one. He knew he could hold the dogs back for at least long enough for them to get to the front door if needed. Checking the clock, he realized he had been waiting almost ten minutes, lost in his own thoughts. He showered Tiny and Moe with kisses and affection, begging for them to be the good boy’s he knew they were, while he put their leashes on their collars and didn’t open the door until he had a firm, taught grip.

Waiting like he asked, Connie and Lydia were sitting side by side on the couch in matching sweatpants, each in a worn shirt they slept in with their hair still tousled from waking up but they both looked excited to see the dogs. They were both sitting with their hands closed on their knees not making any noise or sudden movement. He had been the one who taught Lydia the method after all.

There were low growls from deep within Tiny and Moe after a moment of sniffing the air and Bishop felt his stomach drop. He waited for the snapping jaws to begin but they both merely whined and tried to pull against Bishop’s grip to get closer to the sisters. He allowed them close enough to reach the resting hands and as soon as they could reach they started licking the available hands before allowing both sisters to pet them happily.

Bishop stared at the scene, over two hundred pounds of spotted pit-bull brothers were slobbering over the Stow sisters when they both nearly took off Letty’s ankles a few weeks earlier for stepping too close to Bishop. Lydia noticed the confused look on his face and opened her hand to show a small remaining piece of raw bacon before she split it between Tiny and Moe and let them continue to lick her hands clean.

Bishop chuckled. “That's cheating.” he said as he shook his head.

The smile that took over Lydia’s face was blinding and almost was enough to make him forget about all of his troubles. Tiny was slobbering all over Lydia but she didn’t care in the least.“Its using your resources.” Lydia retorted with a shrug.

“Where’s our ride?” Connie asked, sounding alarmed as she looked out the window in the living room to see their previous ride gone while Moe continued to nuzzle into her hand and lick it clean of all possible bacon particles.

“Its getting scrapped, you’ll have a new one by tonight.” Bishop answered quickly.

Lydia continued looking up at Bishop from the couch with a fond smile.“Thank you,”

Clearing his throatto hide his sudden bashfulness, he shoved his hands in his pocket. “One of the perks of knowing the owner of a scrap shop. I’m sure you already knew that.” He said chuckling.

“Might have been aware of it.” Lydia said with a smirk.

“This is fun and all, but is there anyway coffee can be apart of this.” Connie asked, pleading with her eyes to Bishop while she leaned over her sister to make sure she had his attention.

Bishop was ready for coffee himself. “I’ll put a pot on.” He said with a nod as he turned away from the couch.

Lydia pushed Connie back on the couch and stood. “I’m going to shower.” She said out loud to the house before leaning over Connie. “Please don’t make him throw you out.” She said under her breath.

“I’m a gracious guest.” Connie whispered back, insulted.

It didn’t take long for the pot of coffee to brew. Bishop set out sugar and half and half, that was what he kept for coffee, and brought a mug for himself and one for Connie to the dining room table. He left one near the pot for Lydia. Connie didn’t need to be told to join him, she stood from the couch and took the seat across from Bishop.

The older man was sitting at his favorite chair, leaning back comfortably as he sipped from his mug. “So, Russians?” He asked with a raised brow.

Connie put a little bit of half and half and a lot of sugar in her coffee before she was satisfied with what she mixed together. “Lets not talk about that. What do you want to know about my sister?” She asked, appearing more curious about the questions then the information.

Bishop had to laugh. Of course the younger Stow would be just as bold as the elder. He knew Lydia would have already told Connie to make her self friendly to the closest person with a gun and she wasn’t waiting to start working on it. The thought almost relaxed him, maybe Lydia was right and her sister was capable of handling herself. Mostly.

He shifted his feet as he put both hands around the mug for warmth. “Offering up info on your sister?”

Taking a sip of her coffee, Connie also leaned back in her chair, mimicking Bishop. “Look my sister taught me balance is important, and right now she probably knows a lot about you and you don’t have as much on her as you’d like and you are helping me so this is solo relationship building if anything.” She explained flippantly, waving her hand around as she talked.

Bishop chuckled into his coffee. “You aren’t wrong little Stow, but that’s not how she works.” He answered simply. Connie stared at him surprised. She hadn’t seen or heard about this man the whole time she knew her sister and yet he knew enough about her sister be right on the head about the strange ways she worked. “Besides, I already googled her.” He said casually with a shrug. He knew it wasn’t just that simple but he could figure out the rest easy enough.

“Its all boring stuff really.” Connie retorted with a huff.

Bishop shrugged. “She went legit.” He was almost a little jealous of the fact that she got to live her life without being worried about the hand of the law knocking her down at any point.

Connie scoffed. It was still a boring life to her. “She went a variety of kinda legal, crime is in our blood. Besides, laws are stupid. Its just dead old men trying to tell me what to do.”

“You must have given Lydia a hell of a time.” Bishop said as he raised the mug to his lips.

“As you can tell, I still am.” Connie said as she raised her mug up.

Bishop could see the guilt on Connie’s face at the mention of trouble. She didn’t mean for it to happen and she was at least sorry for her actions. But nothing was really her fault, a man she was seeing got murdered on her birthday. It seemed less like something that could be her fault and more just things that made her a victim of circumstance. “I doubt its your fault that guy got killed by the Russians.” Bishop said surely.

“No, but it is my fault I was there in the first place.” Connie admitted with a sigh as she finished off her coffee before standing and making her way back to the couches to pet the dogs.

Bishop hadn’t taken a moment to think about what it was like to be Lydia Stow’s younger sister. Lydia rarely made a mistake, and when she did she found a way to turn it to her benefit. Lydia was an unmovable object. From what he could tell, Connie was still a kid just making her way in the world. Lydia was a little older than Connie was when he met her. Or maybe she made it feel that way, like she did with everything. But they both had the same look of frustration when they made a decision that had an outcome they didn’t plan for or didn’t like. They weren’t mad at the world about it, it wasn’t anyone’s fault, this was the outcome of events they chose and they chose poorly.

Lydia returned from the shower, wearing what she had arrived in. To make sure she left the shirt behind. She glanced in the kitchen and saw the extra mug waiting near the coffee pot and poured on for herself. She took the seat diagonal to Bishop so she could look into the living room, out the windows to see what was coming, just in case. “Could you take us to get a new phone for Connie? I want to make sure she is set before I leave.” She asked after she finished adding sugar to her coffee.

“I threw it at a mirror distract everyone so I could get away.” Connie called out from the living room floor while she continued to pet the dogs and coo at them like infants.

The image was vivid to Bishop, some club with a wall of mirrors getting shattered by Connie throwing her phone at full force at the wall. It was an effective strategy. “I’ll get someone to take you.” Bishop said as he pulled out his phone from his back pocket and dialed his newest patched member.

EZ answered the phone within three rings. “Yeah?” The younger Reyes grumbled, it wasn’t even nine in the morning on a Saturday yet.

“Get to my house, soon.” Bishop answered gruffly before hanging up. “So, whats the plan?” He asked Lydia, he had plans and he needed to make sure they aligned as best as possible.

Lydia drummed her fingers on the mug as she looked at Bishop. She wanted to tell him everything, to bring him in and have him tell her everything was going to be okay. But this wasn’t his fight and she wasn’t going to give him to opportunity to make it so. “I’ll get the car, go back to LA and do what I do best.” She answered vaguely.

Bishop didn’t like the short answers he was getting. “How long do you expect this to take?” He continued to prod with relevant questions that she would answer.

Lydia thought for a moment. “If I haven’t resolved this in two weeks, she needs a different name and a new life in Mexico. She knows where to get whatever money is needed for all of this.” She explained easily.

Bishop was caught off guard with the answer. He was hoping to hear a time frame, not get orders of when to transport her sister to Mexico with a new identity. “Why?” He pressed.

“These LA Russians don’t let a hit last longer than two weeks. They put in an open hit for the professionals and the free-lancers to wrap it up.” She answered honestly, knowing he would ask around without her anyway.

Bishop looked down at his mug to look away from Lydia. He was not in the right head space to think about a professional hit getting called on either Stow women at the moment. “I’ll have my guys keep an eye on hits that come in.” He said under his breath.

“No,” Lydia said quickly and sternly. Bishop was taken back by how firm she was, how quickly he sat up straight hearing her voice get lower. She saw the look on Bishops face of shock and sighed, softening up a little. “I don’t want you anymore involved in this. I just need to know Connie has somewhere safe to be, and an easy escape route is nearby if needed.” She explained. Bishop didn’t deserve flat answers, she wasn’t going to disrespect him in his house like that but she also needed to keep the mess from getting bigger.

“Fine, I’ll stay out of it.” Bishop hated saying it, it tasted sour in his mouth. Of course Lydia could take care of herself, but that didn’t stop him from being seriously concerned. A private detective was going to have to be damn good to find her way out of a hit on her and her sister. There was a panic that was starting to bubble inside of him as he began to think about all the terrible ways this could end for the Stow’s.

“I don’t know how much information they have on her, if you don’t trust them don’t let them around her. I don’t want heat on you because someone recognized her.” Lydia added as she continued to watch Connie play with the dogs.

Bishop grunted in agreement. “I’ll keep her with the club. They’re loyal to me, they won’t ask questions.” He promised.

Looking away from her sister, she looked back at Bishop and saw how tired he looked. He had a strong profile but his eyes gave him away. There was a sea of anguish and exhaustion in his eyes. “I’m sorry I dropped this on you at a rough time for you. Timing is never my strong suit.” She told him earnestly.

There was no easy way to read Lydia, she was complex and built on layers that would take years to understand. She also didn’t like giving away anything that could be kept close to her chest. But still he found a lookof shame, of disappointment that she was interrupting his life the way that her brows twisted and her lips pressed tight together. She didn’t like needing help but it was something everyone alive needed at some point. One of the parts of being human she hated, and he knew that too.

“If we got to pick when we needed help, we’d never need help.” He muttered over his coffee before he took a swig.

Lydia’s brows furrowed for a moment before she chuckled at the thought. “I suppose you’re right.”

There was a loud engine that pulled up the house, snapping Bishop out of the trance he was pulled into. “Your ride is here.” Bishop said, putting his mug down as he stood and started walking up to the front door. Lydia followed behind him quickly.

The dogs didn’t bark but they stood at attention before Moe started wiggling his way out of Connie’s hold. “Moe!” Connie cried out as the dog bounded from her arms.

“That's Tiny,” Bishop said as he walked to the door.

Connie looked at Bishop in disgust. “How dare you, that is Moe.”

“Tiny!” Bishop shouted to prove his point and the dog sitting patiently near Lydia barked.

Bishop looked back to Connie’s expectant face. “You’ll never hear the end of this.” Lydia whispered to him as she patted his shoulder.

Grumbled to himself, Bishop opened the door and pulled EZ in by his kutte, quickly before closing the door. “EZ meet the Stow sisters, ladies Ezekiel Reyes.” Heintroduced, quickly.

Connie shot up from the floor, catching EZ off guard who hadn’t seen her on the floor. “We aren’t a band.” She scolded Bishop before walking over to EZ with a pretty smile. “Connie, but you can call me Constance.” She told EZ with a wink. She was already making EZ her prime target for her one lay in Mayan territory.

Bishop groaned and Lydia sighed into her hand. EZ was amused at the youngest Stow. “I did what I could.” Lydia murmured to herself but Bishop still heard it, making him chuckle. “Lydia Stow, nice to meet you.” She offered her hand to EZ who shook it with a respectful grip.

Once Lydia and EZ were separated, Bishop walked up directly to EZ. “You are going to take them wherever they need to go, and then right back here and stay with them until I’m back.”

Connie twirled her hair around her finger. “How valiant, constant supervision.”

Bishop ignored Connie and continued pressing EZ. “You do not tell anyone about this. Not Taza, not Hank, not Angel, not your pops,” Bishop drove the point home by driving his finger into EZ’s chest. “do you understand?”

EZ could tell this was not something he could mess up with Bishop. “Got it, Presidente,”

“If anyone asks, its a favor for another charter with hush orders.” Bishop told EZ before turning to face Connie. “Listen to EZ, he’ll make sure you’re safe. Try not to give him a hard time.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Connie said with fluttering eyelashes to EZ.

“I’m sorry,” Lydia whispered to Bishop from his side.

There was something that overcame Bishop and he didn’t have the power to stop it or the need if he was honest as he decided to turn to face Lydia, reach out and put the width of the back of her neck between his thumb and forefinger to pull her close to kiss her forehead. Only briefly. Just long enough to rest his lips on her forehead and take in a calming breath. Just long enough for Lydia to reach out and touch his side, under his kutte, reminding him of how vulnerable he was at all times with her. He squeezed her neck, gently, before turning away, he didn’t want linger to see her reaction or response. He couldn’t afford it on a day like today.“I’ll be meeting Chibs about our problem. Do not leave them until I’m back.” he told EZ with a firm tone.

EZ had seen Bishop with women like this, it wasn’t uncommon for Bishop to be affectionate with the ladies but there was something about the way his club president touched Lydia that made EZ feel like he shouldn’t be around for this moment. “I understand.” He confirmed uncomfortably.

He stared a little longer at the younger man to further drive what his mission was for the day. “EZ knows what to do with the dogs if it gets late, but you can do whatever you want in the house, they clearly fell for your Stow womanly wiles.” Bishop said feeling like all his effort to train his dogs was completely undone by clever women.

Tiny was clearly attached to Lydia. The eldest brother sat at her side, patiently while Moe ran around like the wild boy he was. Bishop was even more confused because Tiny didn’t like anyone. Sometimes Vicki could cuddle with him, but it was only when she was upset and only for a little while. Moe was the one who would open up and love on everyone. Seeing his stoic guard, never opening up to anyone he brought home in the past four years, be so openly and immediately attached to Lydia felt like an omen to Bishop. He didn’t know if it was a good or bad omen.

Moe was rubbing his body against Connie’s legs. “It happens.” She said with a calm shrug, like this was a daily occurrence in her life. Bishop wouldn’t have been surprised if it was a daily occurrence for either Stow women.

Bishop stepped toward the garage door, only pausing to look over his shoulder at Lydia with a simple nod. A small promise to see her later. She nodded back with a smile.

Shortly after Bishop disappeared they all heard the motorcycle start up in the garage before Bishop drove away. EZ brought his fists to the front of his kutte and pulled taught against it, a soothing habit he immediately clung to as soon as he wore his first kutte. “Where to ladies?” He asked with an open smile. The club was on the edge and they didn’t even know what the Reyes brothers had to do to for their family, but he was going to keep any of that away from the Stow women.

“I need to get my sister a new phone and some shoes.” Lydia said quickly.

“Alright. What kind of phone and what kind of shoes?” EZ pressed. It was gonna change what side of town they went to.

Lydia made a thoughtful face.“I suppose that does change the demographic of the stores.”

“It does.” EZ agreed.

Lydia shrugged. “Just decent shoes, probably some good clothes and an iPhone if possible.”

“I know the place.” EZ confirmed with a nod.

EZ drove them in Bishop’s black Lincoln to vendor with good products for clothes and shoes that was away from too many eyes. Connie wasn’t picky, the first pair of plain tennis shoes in her size were fine, three pairs of the same blue jeans, five shirts she grabbed completely at random, a pack of white socks, pack of underwear and three bras. They combed the store for other goods, finding clothes for Lydia and other things they needed. Watching the sisters move across the store was astonishing to EZ, they were wordlessly working toward the same goal, in decent Spanish. They didn’t need his help, he was just doing his best to keep up with the both of them. What he thought would be an easy day was much harder than he had prepared himself for.

Lydia didn’t exactly look like she belonged in Santo Padre, but she acted like she belonged and that was all the people around them needed to see. They all moved out of her way and answered her questions. She even did well with the local slang in Spanish. EZ was sure this woman was very easily able to take care of herself within her own abilities and he had no idea what could have brought her to Bishop. Her sister was somehow a totally identical, yet a whole different story as well. Connie moved around the store like a butterfly trapped inside, bouncing from one display to another, sometimes returning to the same one for no reason at all. There was no anxiety to her movement, she walked like this was a store she had stepped in before and she was just waiting all this time to come back. The Stows both made their surrounds move around them like they were ghosts, them being there was as natural as a gust of wind.

However, while Lydia projected a very clear air of distance, Connie was as fresh to the elements and slaughter as a newborn calf. EZ would admit that she was much more graceful than a newborn calf. She found her way into corners of the market EZ hadn’t even known of and with very little regard of if it could hurt her. Connie was looking for something, EZ didn’t think it was danger exactly but he was very sure that Connie would pick danger up, look at it and put it back down assuming nothing would happen after she did so. She had to inspect things, there wasn’t just a moment of scanning something visually to determine if it needed to be touched, she just immediately touchedwhatever it happened to be this time. This time it was meat spit that was very much on and running. Before he could stop her, Connie burned her arm on the display leaning over and stood up straight pretending nothing happened with a hushed ‘ow’ that only EZ heard.

The vendors didn’t straighten their backs like when Lydia asked a question, they became more familial, pulling her closer while they looked around for someone she belonged too while she spoke to them. They were worried about her in this town. Girls like Connie shouldn’t be left alone. When the latest vendor made eye contact with EZ and he responded back with a nod, the vendor relaxed. Connie was visibly irritated as she took the bag of hair-tiesshe just paid for from the vendor and turned to look at EZ.

“Everyone thinks I’m some kind of child that needs supervision.” Connie huffed when she turned toward EZ. She knew better than to assume only EZ was listening to whatever she said.

A large group was heading toward them, EZ reached behind Connie with his hand on her back, his fingers nearly touching her neck, and pulled her away from the main path while scanning the store for Lydia, finding her near the cart selling pocket knives. “Girls like you normally don’t have a good time here without the right kind of protection.” he explained as he started walking toward Lydia.

Connie stopped in her tracks, grabbing the bottom of EZ’s kutte, pulling at him with enough force to stop him. “I thought those were myths.”

EZ almost starting chuckling as he realized how strong the wispy Stow actually was or, at least she knew how to throw her weight around. “Not here.”EZ said offhandedly.

Connie pulled even closer to EZ. He was a whole head taller than her in the borrowed slides that did nothing for her height, so to keep her conversation with EZ going she had to crane her neck back. “The Mayans respected around here?”

EZ could tell Connie was a tough girl when she wasn’t a space case, the bandage on her neck didn’t bother her, but she wasn’t looking for a fight at all times. Lydia looked ready to call a challenge with the same casual nature as one would respond to the question, would you like a receipt. Connie didn’t want to disturb the places she entered, she flowed with them and wanted to peacefully take everything in. Until she got excited then she could distract the entire store with her squeals. He wondered how many grifts the sisters worked together as he watched Lydia take full advantage of her sisters ability to stun crowds and move effortlessly around them. EZ began to wonder if he was there to protect them or keep an eye on them.

“Respected, feared and appreciated.” He answered with a chuckle.

“Alright, I’ll stick close to you.” she confirmed as she looked over her shoulder and glanced at the exits, again.

“What kind of trouble are you in?” EZ asked curiously. He wasn’t going to prod her for information than she could give, but he still wanted to know. Especially with the way she was behaving.

Looking down, she twisted her fingers nervously. EZ reached out to tap her chin lightly to look up at him. “Messy kind of trouble.” She finally admitted.

With an imagination like EZ’s, he could guess for hours what kind of trouble the Stow sisters were in the middle of, but the dread that was in her eyes made him feel nervous all of the sudden and he wanted them out of public, away from all those possible threats in his imagination, as soon as possible.

“Lets get your phone and get back to Bishop’s house.” He pressed, returning his hand to the spot on Connie’s back to keep at least one of the Stow sisters close.


	3. Dedicated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks for reading so far! I had a weird panic attack about using kutte so much and read more fanfiction to soothe myself about it. We still don't know a lot about the characters outside of the Reyes in the MC so I am taking a lot of liberties with that. For fiction purposes. If anyone wants to help me tag this fic I would greatly appreciate it, I am having the worst time tagging this thing.

Chapter Three

Dedicated

In the square was a seller with the cellphone Lydia wanted, a quick walk from the car and the transaction was fast.Lydia paid for the phone in cash, with no cell phone plan. No need for names. Connie already had a handful of prepaid SIM cards floating around in her new bag to be safe. Lydia downloaded the apps that would help keep Connie untraceable, at least to the Russians, while EZ drove them back to Bishop’s home. Connie was in the back seat of the Lincoln and was laid out on the seat with shopping bags covering her. When Lydia was done with setting up the phone she reached back to hand it to Connie with such casual movement EZ didn’t even realize it might have looked awkward because it didn’t.

When they got back to Bishop’s house it was almost three in the afternoon and they trashed the dining room opening all their products and took over his washer and dryer to wash all of their new things. Lydia handed EZ a hundred dollar bill and asked him to order whatever was good and quickthat would deliver. Connie followed him to the couch to make actual food choices, Lydia was a much pickier eater than she thought she was and Connie was painfully aware of it, being the one who grew up eating with her. Lydia was left alone to sit at the dining room table with one hand on Tiny’s head, gently running her thumb over the spot above his eyes, and the other scrolling through on her phone over latest response from her team in her email. They all knew she was going to be MIA and were currently already in the middle of shutting down the office to keep everyone safe.

Three pizza’s were delivered within the hour. EZ met the delivery driver outside and gave the kid a big tip with a finger to his lips. The kid nodded at him and ran back to their car, EZ didn’t go back inside until the car had cleared the turn onto the next street. Walking back inside Bishop’s house, EZ was faced with the full view of the mess that had been made. “We should clean this up before Bishop gets back.” He said as walked to put the pizzas in the kitchen.

Connie wanted to tease him but when she looked up at him from her spot on the floor where she was playing with Moe and an already tattered tennis ball, she saw his panic. There was a tension that EZ carried around with him that appeared in his nature to Connie, some people just were like that. But she could tell now it wasn’t part of him, not naturally. Some outside force was stressing him out more than having to keep up with the two Stow’s. He was too pretty for her to cause him too much added anxiety.

“Calm down, get some garbage bags.” She ordered him, only a little annoyed.

Lydia was too preoccupied on her phone to realize what was happening or offer to help, but Connie already was used to this situation. She could easily shake Lydia out of it and have her help them but she liked ordering around EZ on her own. It didn’t bother her, it made her feel useful for once. Once the floor was clean of all garbage, only the actual goods remained and Connie quickly packed everything into the two backpacks they bought. With the floor clean of their mess, Connie went to get off the floor when EZ’s hand appeared in front of her.

His palm was wide, his fingers were thick and looked rough from manual labor. There was a snake that looked similar to the logo from the Mayan’s shirt she saw in Bishop’s drawer, like what was on the back of their kutte’s, coiled around his forearm. His arms were thick with bulging veins, reminding Connie of Popeye but when she put her hand in his, he held her hand with the gentlest grip, reaching with his other hand to support her elbow. If EZ wasn’t a gentleman then they didn’t exist in Connie’s eyes.

EZ had a soft smile for her, his fingers squeezed her elbow and suddenly Connie was sad. She didn’t want EZ to end up like Ivan. This gentle, stressed out man was dealing with his own issues, he didn’t even know what was lurking in her recent past. As much as she wanted to bat her eyelashes for EZ and make him fall under her charm, she wouldn’t complicate her life like that at the moment. Or his. “We shouldn’t keep the pizza waiting.” She spurted out awkwardly as she jerked her hand away from him and walked into the kitchen and Lydia was glad that her sister was distracted for once.

Several hours past before there was any sign of Bishop. The car had been delivered fairly soon after they finished eating. It was another coupe, this one was gray. EZ made the Stow’s stand in the kitchen, out of sight, while he accepted the keys from whoever was dropping it off. After the house was clear of any visitors, Lydia resumed her place at the dining room table, with a notepad this time and her phone plugged into the outlet as it had been for the past few hours. Connie finished up the laundry, packing her backpack and Lydia’s and leaving them ready to go on the table. With nothing to do afterward they were all free to relax, EZ took one couch and Connie spread out on the other with Moe cuddled close to her and watched TV for the rest of the night.

It was nearly midnight when the garage door rumbled to life and Bishops motorcycle finally rolled into the garage. Connie snapped to attention. Lydia would be leaving soon. She jumped from the couch, Moe launching himself off the couch following her, and skidded in front of the dining room table. “Time?” She asked with a painful face.

Lydia stood from the table and put the notepad, charging cord and phone into her new bag. “Time.” She confirmed.

Connie launched herself at Lydia, wrapping her arms around her sister. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright alone?” the younger sister mumbled, very afraid of losing her sister the same way Ivan went. A gunshot to the head right in front of her.

Lydia never with-held affection from Connie, not like Mary did, she just got too caught up at times to know when to deliver it. Lydia would hug Connie for hours when she was younger and even as she got older. Lydia didn’t feel any ill will toward her sister about the situation they were in, this was like any other job or case she would take. Only with higher stakes. Lydia knew if she didn’t keep her wits about her she wasn’t going to make it back to Connie. She also knew that if she didn’t properly soothe her sister in this moment that there was a good chance Connie would slip away from Bishop if she wasn’t sure enough that Lydia could do this alone.

Squeezing Connie tightly in return, she did her best to reassure her little sister. “I have good leads, I see way out, but I don’t want to jinx myself.” She whispered. That was at least true, she saw a path but walking it was not going to be as easy as looking at it.

Connie’s arms were still locked around Lydia, twirling a lock of her sisters hair around her finger. “How many times can I call?” She asked sadly.

“None, they have my number not your new number.” Lydia answered, half chuckling, half serious.

The garage door opened quietly, only the door moving alerted Lydia to it even happening. EZ was standing near the front door now, watching the sisters with a pained look in his eye, holding his kutte tightly. Bishop walked into his house from the garage, looking road weary and tired. He looked over the Stow women, both alive and safe, and reached over to grip EZ’s shoulder as silent gratitude for keeping them both alive for the day.

“How many times can I call from Bishops phone?” Connie asked curiously this time.

Bishop chuckled. “Aren’t you missing a step there, Sweetheart?” He asked the presumptive younger sister. Connie let go of Lydia quickly, spinning around with her attempt at a charming smile after being caught. “EZ, wait outside.” Bishop said nodding toward the garage. EZ left the house for the garage without a moments hesitation.

Lydia was holding onto Connie’s hand while shelocked eyes with Bishop, who was already standing on guard again. “I will answer if Bishop calls.” Lydia confirmed, keeping her gaze with Bishop a little longer before she looked at her sister. That was her version of a promise, she preferred statements.“Give us a minute.” She said glancing at the garage door. Connie nodded, taking her bag and left to join EZ in the garage.

Standing alone in the dark, quiet house, yards apart, they both realized what was happening. They were going to have to say goodbye, again. But neither were quite ready yet. This would be dragged out for a time, as some kind of comfort to the both of them.

Lydia took her bag from the table, slinging it on her shoulder and walked up to Bishop. “Everything go alright?” She asked hopefully.

Bishop grumbled something under his breath and ran his fingers through his hair before crossing his arms over his chest. “It could have been better, but it was a shitty situation to begin with. How are your prospects?” He answered as coolly as he could. Lydia wasn’t surprised he didn’t tell her about his own problems when she was keeping hers just as close.

“Solid so far, I just have to go check them out without anyone noticing.” Lydia answered casually. This was almost a normal day for her. Almost.

Bishop only had visions of all of the ways Lydia could be found dead. One he couldn’t shake was her, in a little coupe, driven off the road into rocks, before the car exploded. It seemed ridiculous but Bishop had seen it happen in front of him enough times to know it was a possibility. “Give me some kind of update, when you get one.” He pressed.

Lydia held a smile back. He was not going to stop worrying about her, he wasn’t going to stop trying to help her. But she needed him to. She couldn’t make her problems, his problems. She hadn’t done anything to deserve that right. “Focus on your club, please keep your eyes on Connie, I’ll be fine.” She said seriously.

Without missing a beat, Bishop closed the space between them, reaching out and taking hold of her wrist dangling at her side. He ran his thumb over her pulse point and watched her grip the strap of her bag. The challengers were in the ring, this was the case of an immovable object meeting an unstoppable force. He was not going to let her get hurt when he could have avoided it. That’s why he did all this, its why he opened the charter for Alvarez. He wanted to be able to protect the people he cared about with his power. What the hell else did he do it for if not to keep his those in his circle safe. “Please,” He said, almost begging, squeezing her wrist.

Lydia kept her breath from hitching, only barely and nodded. Bishop from before was forceful, but this was powerful. This was gearing up to battle and she needed to decide if she wanted to throw punches this early or roll over for once in her life and bend for another person.

“Promise me, Lydia.” Bishop pressed firmly. Lydia worked her ways through the margins, she never liked saying things out loud because then it was real and real could fail. He could see the stress in her eyes as she tried to find her way out of this, but she was going to have to buckle here. It was her only path and he knew it, he was going to take advantage. He’d use his resources for once.

“I promise to give you updates.” Lydia said strained. She was a woman of her word and there was a reason promises wasn’t a word she used lightly.

Promises held a consent for constant vigilance of this one oath. Adding another promise to her head-space seemed impossible, until Connie came along. A tiny, shivering, auburn haired child with huge eyes and penchant for crying for a solid day before passing out. But Lydia managed, it was ridiculously difficult until Uncle Ted showed up again out of the blue. She found out later the state had come to ask if he wanted to claim his sisters child because of the guardianship hearing. If Uncle Ted hadn’t have shown up to help guide Lydia and explain the things she just never understood because no one taught her. Mary didn’t show Lydia affection like the sisters showed affection to each other, and Ted had to explain that to Lydia. Once he gave her enough of the code she could unlock the rest without issue, regularly she would make Ted sit for an hour and go over things she thought she learned to make sure she was at least vaguely correct. But that was years ago, still in a time after Bishop, and now she could see how much he needed her to keep that promise. And she was terrified to disappoint him.

Bishop thought he would feel some kind of peace once he heard her promise but there was no calm washing over him. Only the realization that she was leaving, again. He would have no eyes, no ears or any type of backup for her. Just her promise. He hated it. Bishop wondered what the fuck was he doing agreeing to this.

If Lydia noticed the struggle Bishop was internally going through, she didn’t let it sway her. She leaned forward, there wasn’t that much space left anyway and kissed the cheek closest to her. She twisted her wrist in his hold so she could clasp his hand, as much as her smaller hands could. “Thank you again, Obsipo.” she murmured to him when she pulled away only a little to rest her forehead on his cheek bone.

Bishop immediately remembered why he agreed to adding even more stress and rage to his life. But only an idiot would let a woman from their past back into their life and assume it wasn’t going to hurt. Pretend that something she said or did wasn’t going to rip open that wound that was supposed to have healed all those years ago. And Bishop was not an idiot. But he was an opportunist and a man that believed in honoring his word. She was calling in her favor and as much as it was a shitty time for him, that was his promise to her.

He tightened his fingers around her hand to squeeze tight as he stared over her shoulder, leaned his head against hers. “Just come back in one piece for your sister okay?” He asked, gripping her hand.

Neither could see each others faces, and they both wanted it to stay that way. There was a tenuous rope holding their own problems above each of their heads, they couldn’t be distracted now. They just each needed a little support in that moment.

“I’ll do my best.” She promised without being pressed this time. It was a little easier now, after ripping off the band-aid.

Lydia turned to the brothers waiting for her next to Bishop and knelt down. She put her arms around both of them and showered them in kisses while petting their heads. Bishop watched as she gave each dog a final kiss on their head, stopping to whisper something to Tiny before standing back up and heading straight for the garage, closing the door quickly behind her. Lydia walked up to Connie and held her arms open all the way to her against the far wall of the garage.

“Please listen to them and keep your head down.” She whispered to her little sister as soon as she was able to pull her close.

“I really want a vacation after this.” Connie whispered back.

Squeezing her sister one last time, Lydia let go and took a step back and held Connie’s face in her hands. Her cheeks squished together and Lydia chuckled. “Lets get through it first.” She said coolly before kissing her forehead. “I love you,”

“I love you too,” Connie said with a sad smile as the garage door opened and Bishop joined them, standing close to the door.

Lydia walked up to EZ with her hand out. He took the keys he had received from Coco and handed them to her with a nod, praying silently she made it back alright. He didn’t want anything to happen to Lydia, even if he just met her. After all, someone needed to get Connie out of town eventually.

Lydia glanced over her shoulder to give Connie and Bishop another reassuring smile, but they weren’t so easily soothed. She did what she could to try and ease the moment but it wasn’t going to be completely avoided. With a final glance at everyone, Lydia left the garage out to the car waiting on the street before taking off quickly and quietly.

EZ had watched Lydia leave, Connie was staring at the road and Bishop was the first one to return to reality. “Connie,” He said quickly, sternly, delivering his orders. “You’re gonna stay with EZ.”

This was not a good idea for EZ. This was a worse idea than if Bishop just said they had to kill her. EZ was a calm and cool man, but he was not a blind man. Connie was half a foot shorter than him, with long-long dark red hair, people would say auburn but EZ wanted to say that was a lie. Her eyes were big, brown but pulled honey gold because of the red in her hair. She was a creature sent by the gods to distract men. Lure them off their own path and onto another, trap them somewhere or in some time. EZ didn’t need much time to think of just a few ways Connie could ruin a lot of thing in a short time, ending in his death at the hands of really who ever gets there first at this point.

“Bish,” he started, shaking his head a little.

If Bishop noticed the hesitation or the attempt to decline his orders, he ignored it because he continued right along without EZ’s consent on the matter. “She will be in that RV with you, in the Romero office or the clubhouse at all times. I don’t want her off property.”

EZ saw how Bishop looked at Lydia, how they spoke to each other, how they moved around each other. They had something between them and EZ wouldn’t be surprised whatever the answer was. It wasn’t a hard stress to the imagination to wonder what it would feel like to be left with that woman’s little sister. Stakes were getting higher and EZ was already too close to the end of his rope. Glancing at Connie he watched her fidget around for warmth as she held her arms close. She hadn’t thought of how cold it gets in the desert when the sun went down. She wasn’t complaining, she was just working with what she had. It wasn’t hard for him to accept the task when he thought about it as helping Connie. That felt like something he was just supposed to do, natural, like breathing. EZ straightened himself out and stopped that line of thought. He could help her and not get taken off course because if he didn’t Bishop might kill him.

“Got it.” EZ confirmed, clearly.

Bishop wanted to take one of his jackets for Connie but that was just a lose end that didn’t need to be tied. Connie knew that. “I’ll let you know when she tells me something.”

“It won’t be enough to know how she is doing. Or if she is okay. Just to know she’s breathing.” Connie said as she bounced in her spot to try and stay warm.

Bishop could tell Connie was upset, tired, angry but she was also right. They weren’t going to know if Lydia was on the other side of the conversation bleeding out alone, they’d never know until it was too late.

“Go to EZ with whatever you need, we’re gonna play this like I don’t know you. Okay?” Bishop asked quietly. He felt the need to treat her with these gloves he normally didn’t wear. He almost got angry until Connie frowned and fidgeted for a bit before quietly accepting. It got him out of another Stow challenge and he was just going to run with that win. “Come up with a cover, I’ll go along with it tomorrow.” He said to both Connie and EZ as he turned to look at the patch in question. EZ confirmed with a nod.

When Bishop turned to look back at Connie, she was smiling at him. “Thanks Bishop” She said quietly before she kissed his cheek, continent and brief.

He wondered if the Stow women would effect him the same and they very nearly did. Both were unbearably gentle and purposeful with any touch, not just with the physical act but the emotion of it. Why couldn’t they just say thank you and leave, why did they have to be all fucking soft? While Lydia’s softness made him feel a sort of painful nostalgia, Connie’s was warm. Like his little cousin’s kiss on his cheek when he gave her the bigger half of a sweet.

Bishop chuckled to himself, but he was so tired it sounded like a huff. He pulled the younger Stow into a one armed hug but as soon as he started the motion she had both her arms around his neck and now the hug was both arms. He wanted to laugh again. This was hilarious to him, Connie was bold with her own actions once the poor soul opens the door, Lydia kicked the door down and then told whatever poor soul where to build the new door. Bishop self-identified identified as the poor soul in both examples. He gave Connie an inch and she was half the field in. Connie respected boundaries but said poor soul had to go up against a force to reach who ever was in charge of that ship. Bishop really wanted to make a stand about boundaries, he could do it, he had stood up to a Stow before, but he felt how tightly she held onto the hug. She was gripping it for dear life. He also knew what it was like to be stressed out and affection starved by Lydia Stow.

The only thing Bishop wanted to avoid was Connie crying, so he dropped his fight for once and just hugged the poor kid that had just been eye witness to someone getting their brains blown out and nearly dying with them in that moment. Now her sister was gone into the unknown. Bishop quietly conceded, only to himself, that the stressors in their lives were equally weighted in that moment.

While Connie was definitely the type to try her luck every day of the week, something told her when to let go of Bishop and step away. “You provide excellent hugs.” She barely got the sentence out before she grabbed her mouth with both hands. “That's the weirdest thing I’ve ever said, I am so sorry.” She said in horror.

Bishop finally laughed. He understood the sentiment, it didn’t hurt to hear someone liked a hug. “Go with EZ, rest.” he said nodding over his shoulder.

Connie suddenly jerked to EZ with a low finger pointing to his motorcycle. “Please treat me, for this instance only, like I have never done this. I have learned no human being that rides a motorcycle actually wants to be held the same way, so we are gonna pretend like I’ve never done this because if I lay down on a motorcycle one more time, I might instantly exit this world, once and for all.”

“There’s a lot to unpack in that, but I got what I needed.” EZ said concerned.

“Get her to sleep, she’s delirious.” Bishop said, genuinely worried.

“Maybe this is just what she’s like.” EZ countered with a shrug.

Bishop knew that Lydia would never let her sister out free on the world if she was constantly this frantic, or at least he hoped. “Lets hope for your sanity its not. No club stuff, no personal stuff with her, okay? This is sitting mission and then she’s out. This isn’t permanent.” Bishop spelled out the sentence and still was selling himself on the lie that the Stow’s were never going to be back after this.

EZ felt something settle badly in his stomach. Did he already get attached to at least one Stow? “Got it.” EZ forced himself to confirm with his club president and promise to even himself.

Bishop looked back at Connie, knowing she had heard all of it and nodded with an understanding look on her face. He sighed and nodded back at her before going back inside, leaving her with EZ in his open garage. Once Bishop left, Connie wandered over to lean against the Lincoln, near EZ’s bike outside of the garage and waited for him.

Connie just begun waking up to the chaos the Stow women could bring down, she just always assumed that was life. But the older she got, the more people she met the more she realized her and her sister were capable of great luck and prosperity but there was always a downfall. Balance was important, that's what Lydia always told her, like it was the family motto. Connie had just been accepted to a masters program for literature, part of the celebration and Lydia was equally knocking it out of the park and now they were on the verge of uprooting their whole existences.

She was going to Berkeley fall semester if she didn’t have to hide in Mexico under a new identity. But that was a different person, with different problems that she didn’t have the ability to worry about. Connie right now was staring down one of her biggest enemies. Motorcycles. In her late teens she thought they were ‘so hot’ and ‘just the manliest thing in the world’ were things she remembered saying with now great disgust, but present day Connie wanted nothing more than to never look at one again.

The first boyfriend of hers that had a motorcycle, a sporty crotch rocket, was nineteen and was gifted it from his father after a messy divorce. Connie was seventeen and already planned to sleep with him before the bike but now it was for sure happening. Lydia’s rule, hard standing rule, was no highway driving on motorcycles. That was it. Lydia was the one that delivered it to Dustin, her boyfriend, along with the name of his weed dealer and his brothers coke dealer and if he ever broke that rule even if they lived both names would get sent to his parents. Lydia was very good at getting people to follow her rules. Most people. They didn’t go on the highway but they did take back roads to the beach to have sex on the beach one night. The experience there was awful. She only had sex with him to try and recover the night for herself after he bunny hopped his bike through back roads. That didn’t happen for her. She learned how overrated beach sex was that night.

On the ride to the beach and back to Connie’s house they tipped off the bike two times, made no less than five hard stops that made Connie’s helmet bounce off Dustin’s and it gave her such a bad headache instantly she wanted to teleport home. There had been several men who hung out the windows of cars to catcall her and ask if she wanted to ‘ride with a real man’. Back then all she had to do was say how old she was and every man cleared out of the room, most did. The ones that left she already knew to run away from at full speed. There wasn’t a time she was traveling on the cursed vehicle that Connie enjoyed herself.

She tried again when she was eighteen with a different boyfriend and to no more success. Even less actually, she was in an accident, luckily it happened when they were stopped and the car that hit them simply let off their breaks and rolled into them. More specifically, rolled into Connie. Feeling the hot grill of a truck that close made her swear off motorcycles.

Until she was twenty-one. She had decided that was when she should give it a shot again. Her boyfriend at the time had a vintage bike that he was fixing up with his dad. He was a little older than her, on his own thanks to his parents being rich. She assumed this time would be fine. The highway rule was still maintained. And that was the last time she rode bitch on a motorcycle, when the bike tipped on a turn and she hit a curb hard enough to shake all the feelings she had for him out of her.

Connie knew how to ride a motorcycle, Lydia made her learn how to operate anything that could get her to safety. But she did not enjoy them at all. She had thought that riding with a cute boy would make it better and after falling off the bike she learned they would just blame her for whatever happened from that point on. They weren’t used to riding with a passenger and that's why they couldn’t manage the bike. These vehicles only taught her that most people weren’t going to care about her when things got tough. She was going to have to be able to get out of situations on her own, or at least get to her sister.

Deciding she didn’t want to think about her sister anymore for the night, Connie stood straight. “Who gets on first?” She asked pointing to the bike.

“Who have you ridden with?” EZ asked in true disgust as he took an extra helmet off the nearby wall before hitting the button on the keypad, on the outside of the garage door, triggering the door to close and lock.

Connie started rolling her shoulders to try and relax a little to manage however long this would take. “Scum of the earth, really.”

EZ walked in front of her and put the helmet on her head gently, making her stop her fidgeting for a moment. He took the time to make sure the helmet fit on her and secured firmly. He wasn’t going to get on Bishop’s bad side already by injuring or killing Connie and he definitely didn’t want any reason to find out what Lydia was actually capable of, now that he thought of it. He straddled the bike and kicked the stand back so he could balance the bike on his own. “Get on.” He said to Connie, nodding behind him. She sat directly behind him and kept her toes to the ground and her arms at her side. “Arms under mine, around me.” EZ said once he realized she had stopped moving.

Connie put her arms around him, like he asked and held her hands out in front of him. “Hands?”

“Are you kidding?” EZ groaned under his breath.

“Laid out one more time, Ezekiel. I will die.” She responded, drawing out her answer while she held a single finger up in front of him.

EZ rubbed his forehead. “How do you rest your hands when you hold someone?” He asked with a long sigh.

The words barely left his lips before her hands were flat on his sides and her arms were coiled around him, she was squeezing him like lost child held onto a stuffed animal while looking for their parents. He was sure he could stand and she was be so attached to him she would simply move with him. It wasn’t necessarily bad feeling, but he couldn’t ride with her holding onto him like that.

He put one hand on her arms that were bound around his front and turned his head to look at her resting her head on his shoulder. “Constance,” he said with a light chuckle. “loosen up, nothing is going to happen.”

There was a moment that Connie got even tenser and he wondered if he was going to have to call Bishop back to get the jaws of life out. “You can’t promise that.” She whispered almost like she was letting out a breath, her arms loosened to just her fingers linked together around his waist but still kept her front closely pressed against him, which was nice.

EZ didn’t have to be looking at the gauze on her neck to see it. She had enough reasons to be wary. “I guess not.” He admitted. With his torso free to move again he bent to the right to look at her leg placement. As soon as he took hold of her ankle, she jumped a little then seized up, clinging tighter onto EZ. He snorted a laugh. “You’ve had a bad time on these, huh?”

“Its just been a bad time all around.” Connie said sounding more and more exhausted.

EZ was still completely ignorant of what their Stow was involved in, so he wasn’t going to hold it against her. “Alright, I’m going to put your feet where they should be, get comfortable, get a good grip to hold it.” He said clearly.

Feeling her leg relax in his hand gave him his answer. He got her right shoe on the foot rest and then twisted to do the same with her left. She moved however he guided her and once both feet were on he felt her shift a little behind him, adjust and then stop moving.

“You got it?” He asked over his shoulder.

Connie took in a deep breath and nodded against his back. “Got it.”

Feeling her more comfortable behind him, he put both arms on the bars. “Now, you can hold half as tight as before.”

“Math, you want me to do math. Holding math. What does that equal, EZ?” She whispered to him frantically, to not draw attention.

EZ decided she was in fact delirious and dead tired, he just started the motorcycle and coasted out of the neighborhood to avoid the entire line of conversation with her. Luckily, the engine was loud and the only thing he heard were Connie’s humming once he took off, but he couldn’t make out anything over the road noise. She held to him and the bike exactly like he told her to and they were at Romero’s in regular time. Chucky let EZ ride in and quickly closed the gate behind him while EZ blew past him to his RV.

Parking, Connie still didn’t let EZ go even when the kick stand was firm on the ground. “Connie,”

“That wasn’t terrible.” She admitted but still didn’t let go.

EZ dropped his head as he realized how truly awful her experiences must have been with motorcycles and their riders. “You get off first. Put your weight on whatever peg you feel secure on and swing wide off, the exhaust will burn you if you touch it.” He explained fully before he felt Connie’s hands unclench from his sides. She pulled back her hold and relaxed on the seat for a moment before putting her hands on his shoulders, and quickly swinging off to the side that wasn’t just parts of cars, appliances and random metal pieces.

Connie got both feet on the ground, clear of exhaust without danger but her momentum from her wide swing took her by surprise and pulled her down to the ground. EZ sighed while Connie laid on her back in the dirt.

With her arms wide out at her sides she closed her eyes. “You can leave me here.”

“I really can’t.” He said seriously as he scooped her off the ground with little issue and quickly got her inside of the RV, setting her down inside on the floor.

“Stay in here a minute, I gotta come up with something to tell Chucky.” EZ rushed as he put her legs inside, clear from the door.

“What decade is this from?” She asked with a frowning face while she looked around as he grabbed the door.

EZ shook his head and closed the door without responding.

The door was barely closed before EZ heard Chucky shuffling closer. “Hey EZ its late, everything okay?” Chucky asked with concern, looking over his shoulder at the RV. EZ knew that Chucky had seen Connie, there was no way he didn’t.

EZ weaved a quick story with enough markers to the truth that made the lie flow naturally. “Yeah just a sister of one of the guys I was locked up with, she’s in a tight spot, I’m letting her stay the night, I gotta talk to Bishop about it in the morning.” He explained, out of breath and tired.

“Be careful EZ, Presidente’s been a little stressed out.” Chucky said warily.

He had to stop himself from laughing, poor Chucky didn’t even know about all of things that stressed out Bishop just today. “Thanks Chucky, stay safe.” EZ said waving at him as he turned to push himself into the RV with the smallest available space to avoid him seeing Connie.

Connie sat on the couch bench with her legs crossed under her. “He sounds nice.” As she spoke it turned into a yawn.

EZ relaxed a little, only a little. “He’s nice.” He confirmed and walked closer to her after locking the door. “Did you hear any of that?” He asked curiously. The walls were nothing and wanted to know what she heard.

“Does it look like I am processing information well, EZ?” She asked as she uncrossed her legs to pulled her knees to her chest.

She wasn’t wrong, she was a little dusty and very tired. “Lay down.” He said nodding to the bench she was on.

“Whats wrong with the bed?” Connie asked confused, pointing to the door that led to the bedroom.

“You don’t want to sleep on that bed.” EZ said shaking his head.

“Ew,” Connie said so sadly and tired she almost started crying.

Wrapping a blanket for a pillow, laying it down near the window for her, he pushed her shoulders down, gently. “Sleep,” He said as he took another blanket to cover and tuck around her. EZ pulled her shoes off and wrapped her legs first before going up her body to tuck the blanket tightly around her. At her shoulders he realized she was already asleep. He held a chuckle back and made sure the blanket didn’t cover her face.

The hard part of the day was finally over. Lydia was on her way, wherever that was. Bishop got to play ignorant for a little bit at least. EZ wondered why he was keeping this from the MC, why he was playing like he didn’t know Connie. It seemed like the path Bishop had decided to stick to was going to end in having to fall on his sword about the Stow’s or never see them again, supposedly. He had a gut feeling that the Stow’s wouldn’t be gone for long, if they did leave. But that was his gut, not his Presidente and he was going to be the best patch he could be to get through all of the messes he was in.

EZ wasn’t completely panicking about the morning, he knew Bishop was going to accept whatever he was trying to sell but he still had the club to convince. He planned it out well in his head, asked every question he had ever heard any patch ask that was relevant. He knew Hank would be the most suspicious but he could only do his best and hope that Bishop intervened before anything serious happened.

Angel was going to be the hardest to explain everything to. Sure, saying Bishop told him not to say anything would work if they had a normal relationship. But they didn’t. He was going to have to tell Angel the truth, alone and as soon as he could without Connie around. He didn’t expect her to cover for him or be on his side. She had her own problems at the moment and he wasn’t going to put that on her.

Feeling his head start to go heavy, EZ slumped on the other bench, facing Connie and closed his eyes. If he hoped enough before he fell asleep, maybe he would have a calm morning. Maybe everything would go well for once.


	4. Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Alright this chapter was a struggle but I've been writing ahead a lot so the filler is a little easier to write. I realized I had named Connie's boyfriend Igor in the first chapter and changed it to Ivan later. I'll go back and fix it. Please enjoy!

Chapter Four

Regret

EZ was shaken awake by his phone vibrating almost violently in his pocket. Sitting up, he quickly dug it out to look at the notification; a text from Bishop. _OMW. Tell Connie sorry._ EZ groaned. His morning wasn’t going to be any calmer than the day before. Connie had barely moved in the night. He really didn’t want to have to wake her up. But Bishop didn’t live far and he probably would have already heard from someone Chucky told about EZ from the night before.

Deciding to let Connie sleep until he heard the first rumble of the motorcycle engines outside of his RV. It was only about fifteen minutes but it allowed EZ peace to get ready for the day. He had taken his shirt off at some point in the night and threw it back on before leaning over to Connie and shaking her slightly.

“Hey, Bishop is on his way.” EZ said clearly.

The movements she was making were slow and he wasn’t sure she was awake until she propped herself up on her elbow. “What,” Connie mumbled sleepily.

EZ sat back down once she pushed herself up. “He says sorry.” He said cautiously.

Connie stopped rubbing her eyes cutely and looked at EZ like she was ready to start an incident. “Sorry? He says to me after the 48 hours I’ve had. Oh, he will be sorry.” Connie whispered, completely to herself as she kicked off the blankets.

Free of the covers she shook one out, wrapped it around her to look like an orphan left in the rain and curled into the floor on the corner and hid herself in the blanket. He wanted to ask what she was doing, but he didn’t have time. Gilly threw the door open a second later with a stern look on his face. He was supposed to tell the MC everything. As soon as the door slammed open, Connie screamed, grasping the blanket under her chin and trying to hide. EZ saw the confused look on Gilly’s face so to avoid questions he quickly got down to the ground on his knees, holding her shoulders trying to understanding where she was going with this.

“Bishop! We got a problem here.” Gilly called out over his shoulder to the crowd EZ knew was waiting for him.

“Isn’t this a little thick?” EZ whispered to Connie.

“He said sorry, he will feel sorry.” She whispered harshly inside the blanket.

Bishop came stomping in with Hank behind him and Taza looking in through the doorway. Angel was standing outside of the RV, looking in and glaring at EZ. “I’m sorry, I didn’t have time to call, I was trying to calm her down and we fell asleep.” He rushed pleading to Bishop over his shoulders while he held Connie to him.

“Everyone out, except for you two.” Bishop said firmly, pointing to EZ and Connie.

No one needed to be told twice. Hank waited for Gilly to leave first and then gave Bishop a nod before leaving and closing the door. Hank would make sure no one put their nose where it didn’t belong for the moment. They waited for an extra few seconds before EZ stood up.

“Alright that was a little thick.” Bishop said quietly to Connie.

Connie grabbed EZ’s hanging arm and used it to counter her weight to launch herself to her feet. “You feel sorry?” She asked mockingly.

Realizing this Stow was not going to hesitate in making thefields of his life ready to reap what was sown, he wasgoing to need to decide if he wanted to fight this morning. He saw how dusty she looked, something happened to her on the ride. He also saw and heard some of how much she hated motorcycles. He also just had Gilly bust the door in. He had a good argument to stand on, being that it was his MC and he was the President but that took a lot of effort to wield and it didn’t feel worth it at the moment.“Lay your pitch.” he said to the both of them, ignoring her comment.

EZ stood up straight and squared his shoulders to focus. “Bishop, please I was in Stockton with her brother, he helped me out inside.” He said a little louder so if anyone was listening they could hear what was going on.

“You know this is not the fucking time for this shit EZ.” Bishop retorted quickly and loudly for the show. He liked the lie though. It was an easy sell to the club.

“I just need somewhere to lay low near the boarder if my sister can’t save us. No more than two weeks, and I’ll be gone, I promise.” Connie said before EZ could.

Bishop didn’t like hearing how quickly all of this was going to end. “You want to continue laying it on thick?” He asked in a whisper, mostly out of irritation and he realized he should have just kept his mouth shut.

“Next is tears and I don’t stop until I’ve passed out from dehydration and that could take all day. You’re move, Bishop.” She whispered back with determination.

“I haven’t even had fucking coffee yet.” He responded while closing his eyes and silently praying to whatever mercy God had left to give to get him through the day.

“I haven’t even showered yet, sucks to suck, you want the water works or not?” She asked in an angry whisper.

Bishop grunted and gripped his fists. “No, but you might need it later and you’ll know the moment.” He said glancing over his shoulder at the door and the rest of the club that waited for them.

“I respect your decision.” She said as her face released all of her angry features.

Bishop took in a deep breath while he turned around and pinched the bridge of his nose before he threw the door open. “Templo, now.” He ordered to the men in front of him before looking back at EZ and Connie as he left the RV, slamming the door.

EZ gave it a moment before he rushed to the door to put his ear to listen. Connie followed close behind to copy him, leaning her head against the wall.

“Spooky, whats that?” Connie whispered to EZ while they heard muffled talking outside.

Seeing a flurry of possible Connie’s entering that room made EZ even more on edge. “A club meeting that you are not apart of, Bishop can’t save you for doing something big and messy in there.” He said seriously as he grabbed her arms.

Connie looked around and shifted a bit. She was not good at keeping big cards close to her chest, she was testing her boundaries at all times and exposing lines that were fine to keep hidden. She needed to keep as much of her hand to herself as possible. “Fine, quiet and my hands to myself.” She sighed as she reached behind to pull out EZ’s 9mil from her waist band and handed it to him.

EZ snatched the gun and quickly checked the safety – on – and the chamber – empty – but still he was unnerved. “That wasn’t even in these pants.” He hissed at her as he put the gun in his waist band.

“I got bored when you were talking to Chucky.” She explained with a shrug.

Before he could ask her how she got it so quickly, EZ realized how long she had the gun. “You slept with it?”

She scoffed and patted his cheek. “You’re cute EZ but I’m not stupid enough to trust a brand new straight man I just met, that's how women get raped and chopped into pieces.”

He reached out and held her shoulder firmly. “I am not going to hurt you, or touch you if you don’t want me to.” He swore easily.

She quickly ignored the road she could have turned down about being asked to get hurt but she told herself she wouldn’t do it. She cleared her throat to keep her mind on task. “I believe you, now.”

“Faster than I expected.” He said with a chuckle.

She shook her head at him. “I’m a terrible judge of character, please don’t take this as a compliment. If you are a good person this is just a statistical probably that eventually I trusted a decent person. Allegedly.” She said as she eyed him for a moment, suspiciously.

EZ was beginning to find out there were some things Connie said that just did not have a response to. Not in a bad way but the only way he could explain it was like getting hit in the head in a fight, his brain rattled trying to process what she said, leaving him stunned. Connie walked to the door after she decided the conversation was over and out of the RV. EZ followed behind her closely, slamming the door behind him.

Most of the club had followed Bishop into the clubhouse but Coco and Angel were lingering behind. “What the fuck Ezekiel? Do you understand whats happening right now?” Angel said as he walked wide around Connie who stopped to watch what was happening.

“Yes, of course I do but I owe her brother, he helped me in prison, Angel. What the hell else am I supposed to do?” EZ asked frustrated, wishing he could just tell his brother the truth.

“Fuck!” Angel shouted and spun away for a second before dropped his arms at his side and stood in front of EZ again and put his arms around him for a hug. “You’re right,” He said as he patted his arms and walked toward the club house, grabbing Coco by the scruff of his neck to drag him along.

EZ felt terrible for lying to Angel. Again. His stomach was already churning as he walked up to Connie a few feet ahead of him.

“Please bring up no touching if Bishop doesn’t.” Connie whispered to EZ when he was close enough, as Coco continued to look over his shoulder at her through his good eye.

“Bishop will definitely say no touching.” EZ said confidently as he walked with her into the yard of the clubhouse.

EZ escorted Connie inside and left her in front of the Mary statue and told her not to move. The clubhouse only had one other girl in it at the moment behind the bar, sleepily cleaning up the mess from the night before. She stood in front of the statue and stared at the downcast eyes while EZ rushed into Templo and Gilly closed the glass door behind him.

Sitting at his seat in Templo, Bishop slammed his fist on the table as soon as the last body was in their seat. Some jumped and all looked at attention as Bishop raised a pointing finger to all of them.

“None of you fucking touch her. That girl smells, sounds, looks and feels like trouble and none of you are going to fucking taste. Last thing we need are more club problems, you all understand me?” Bishop delivered the warning like she was blood. He realized maybe too well when Hank looked suspicious for a moment. He wondered how long he was going to be able to keep the club and Lydia separate.

There were a few upset sounds at the table and EZ committed the seat placement to make sure he knew who to keep an eye on around her. “Agreed.” Angel said first. He wasn’t looking at anything he didn’t pay for or wasn’t Adelita.

“Agreed,” EZ jumped to say before Bishop got an inch to draw anymore wrath at him.

“I’m putting it to the table.” Bishop said clearly. “EZ, tell ‘em.” He said with a nod to the younger man.

EZ stood and moved to the other end of the table with all eyes on him. “I got in a tight spot in Stockton, Connie’s brother helped me out. He called me up and asked me to sit on his sister for two weeks, her and her sister are in something deep right now and she just needs cover to give her sister time. If not she just runs over the boarder, not our problem.” EZ answered feeling the blatant lie go to ash in his mouth.

EZ saw the panic flash in Bishops eyes when he mentioned Lydia’s timeline. Time runs out. Would Bishop really let Lydia die _and_ let her sister disappear in the unknown alone?

“Its not ideal.” Hank said in the silence.

Bishop was gripping his gavel with one hand, he really hated his options at the moment. “No, it fucking isn’t.” He ground out. “But that shit is important, votes to let her stay.” He ordered to the table.

It was a quick vote, all yes to keep her.

All of the club waited for Bishop to speak after the vote. He took the gavel and slammed it down. The table waited until he stood and started walking for EZ with a threat in his eye. “Two weeks EZ, I am fucking counting. I don’t want her leaving property alone. And I don’t know what her mess is but she better make herself fucking useful.” He said as warning as he pushed past EZ to the door, he needed to leave the room.

Yanking the door open to see Connie standing in the middle of the hallway, six feet away, Bishop struggled to keep his cool. Seeing Bishop’s eyeballs grow a ridiculous amount, Connie held up her finger. “First, I need you to know that door is almost useless if that's supposed to be sound proof.” She told them all quickly. EZ’s shoulders sank and he hung his head, this was going to be a long, rough two weeks. “Second, I’m a good bartender. Better card player. The best pool player. Unbeatable in domino’s.” She told them with a winning smile.

“How is that useful?” Bishop asked irritated.

“Sounds like a party to me, I feel like we earned that.” Coco said as he slid next to Connie and tried to put his arm around her but Hank was on the other side of Connie already and smacked the hand away before it landed on her.

“I’ll tell you what you earn.” Bishop snapped at Coco and Angel pulled Coco away from Connie and Gilly took hold of his other side. “Help out around the clubhouse and the scrap yard, you listen to what I tell and what EZ tells you. To the fucking letter or you’re on the other side of that fence on your own. Two weeks.” He told Connie with a pointed finger and a serious look. She nodded quickly and quietly.

Everyone understood that Connie wasn’t going to be a play thing. She was hiding and then would return to wherever she came from. They all settled around the room. EZ took the moment to pull Connie away from everyone. Bishop sat at the table with others watching their leader who was clearly stressed and already not in a good mood. They had no idea how deeply his bad mood ran.

EZ reached the corner of the clubhouse, looking out over Connie’s head so he could see who was listening. “Try not to be in a room alone with Coco, or Creeper.” He had his back to a corner to look over the room and Connie on his side, holding her hand for a surprisingly long time.

Connie’s lips pursed. “Those are people, here, in this room?” She asked looking around.

“Yes,” He said bluntly.

“Sorry, I haven’t been around MC’s in a hot minute. Its coming back.” She said as she cracked her neck to both sides. “Also, funny how you think I’m leaving your side if you aren’t in that special room I’m not allowed in and it definitely doesn’t bother me.” She said firmly but it was a very bad lie. Her eyes looked wild and feral. Not being able to go into that room was going to be her hardest task to date.

EZ squeezed her hand. “Please don’t break into that room. Hank will kill you.” He said seriously as he nodded to the man next to Bishop.

Connie glanced at Hank next to Bishop. He was a man that had done what was needed with purpose, no frivolities, she didn’t do well with men like that. “Fine.” She agreed hastily before she lost the will.

“Keep the stealing to a minimum.” He said with narrowed eyes.

Connie rolled her eyes. “Its not stealing EZ, its simply borrowing quietly, and returning, sometimes, quietly.”

“Bishop laid down the rule but now that's going to trigger a few to decide if they want to try something even more now. So, if I’m not there, my brother Angel is not going to touch you, if Angel isn’t there, Taza or Hank, and the rest I’m not sure on so you better have followed someone, do you understand?” EZ rushed to explain before anyone came over to talk to them.

“Yes,” Connie answered seriously and then leaned in even closer, with concern on her face. “now, who are all of those people?” She asked him desperately. EZ immediately forced a breath through his nose and wanted to go back to sleep.

Bishop watched EZ and Connie in the corner of the clubhouse very closely, lighting his second cigarette so far. He wasn’t blind, Connie was a beautiful woman, there wasn’t a man in this room that would be able to quickly and securely turn her down without valid threat. Except for Bishop, he would never do that to Lydia. EZ though was wounded, he had been patched in and it helped him a little but Bishop could still see something eating that boy up. The Stows were surprisingly good at problem solving and making people fall in love with them. He was beginning to feel guilty about what he had forced the younger man to do for him.

“Something doesn’t feel right about that one Bishop.” Hank commented from his spot next to Bishop and had been keeping his eyes on the couple in the corner as well.

Bishop almost laughed. That was what his gut said the moment he saw Lydia the first time, before she noticed him. He saw what trouble she was, and the destruction she could wrought but still, the moment she put her eyes on him and spoke to him like he was the only person in the room, it was over. There were things in the world that were worth pain and destruction but it was hard to be sure of who and what.

“No, something doesn’t.” He agreed easily.

“Want me to check her out?” Hank offered easily. Hank was a man of many means and resources. He was also discrete and effective. But Bishop pushed a little too far with the Stows and keeping this to himself away from the club. He wasn’t ready to deal with explaining to Hank what was going on behind closed doors.

Spending years with Bishop, Hank had received tiny bits of information about Bishops past in Iraq. Mostly when Bishop was far too drunk and beyond control of his mouth. But he always made sure to never say her name. Never. Explaining why he had to take the Stow sister in was going to be hard for him. He didn’t know if he ever would be able to do it. Depending on how it played out he might not have to. Lydia could just show up and collect her sister and fade out of his life again. But that was only one option. There were so many other ways this could fall and they were all much more likely then it just ending simply.

“We’re stretched right now, lets stay close to home. If we keep her out of sight it shouldn’t be an issue.” Bishop answered, shaking his head.

“Think she was followed?” Hank asked curiously. Just because Bishop had said he didn’t want him to look into Connie, didn’t mean he wasn’t going to protect the clubhouse from whatever trouble might be following her.

“EZ is too smart for that.” Bishop retorted. He meant Lydia when he said it.

Connie was speaking with EZ still but had started slowly walking into the bar that Maria had left to clean the tables. And EZ was trying his hardest to keep her away from the bar but she put gripped the front of his shirt, and pulled him along. “Maybe,” Hank chuckled.

Bishop took a long drag of his cigarette and watched the scene unfold, feeling akin to a hunter that missed his first shot. He was filled to the top with guilt. Blowing the smoke out of his body, leaned back against the chair. “Maybe,” He mumbled.

At the bar, Connie was making coffee to Bishop’s relief and others were starting to sit at the bar. First was Creeper, sitting right in front of her, trying to get her focus to make eyes with her.

“Do not leave Creeper alone with her.” Bishop told Hank.

“I’m not leaving any of them alone with her.” Hank replied.

“Thank you, I can’t deal with another fucking mess on my hands.” Bishop cursed.

Slowly the rest of the club made their way around the bar, other than Bishop and Hank. She made cup of tea for Taza and he was already fond of her for it. Everyone had coffee and Creeper was doing his best to get her to make another pot and share it with him.

“EZ!” Bishop yelled once he saw Creepers hand try to reach over the bar to Connie. Creeper retracted his hand and when he saw the glare on Bishops face and left the bar quickly. Connie looked at Bishop, nervously while she felt EZ press himself against her back. “Show her around and get her to work.” Bishop ordered.

Letting out a breath of relief at the order to get Connie out of the clubhouse, EZ took hold of her arm. “Got it,” He answered easily as he pulled her out from behind the bar.

EZ took Connie only around the scrap yard and clubhouse. She was really only stopped from going into Templo, everywhere else it was fine for her to be. Chucky and Connie got on well, she knew a fair bit about the system they already were using and had offered to make upgrades her sister had taught her to do with shortcuts to make it easier for him since he only had two fingers to type with. Before Chucky could try to reassure her and EZ that he was fine, she was already downloading the update and writing down the shortcuts she was going to make for him.

Connie was very good with the computer, shockingly good. She looked at EZ innocently. “I am a child of my generation.” She answered the unasked question in EZ’ eyes. “Laminate this.” She said to Chucky as she handed him the paper with all of the shortcuts.

Chucky carefully took the paper. “On it,” He said with a serious nod before disappearing to find the machine for lamination.

“You didn’t have to do that.” EZ said to her.

She sighed. “I know, but I could and it would help so I should. It is what Lydia raised me to do.” She responded surely with a sad smile.

EZ reached out to run his thumb on her arm. “She’s gonna be okay.” He said hoping to soothe her.

Connie sighed heavily. “I hope so, she said we could go on a vacation after this.”

“Where were you thinking?” EZ asked with an amused smile.

“I think up north, I want green and overcast. I’m sick of this sand being apart of my life and never ending sun burns on my nose because I never remember to reapply sunscreen.” She answered irritated.

EZ chuckled uncontrollably and regained himself as fast as he could. “Lucky for you I have this memory, thing, I don’t forget anything. I’ll remind you.” He said before he could stop himself. He didn’t need to but it seemed like what he was supposed to do.

Connie wanted to kiss him, no man she had ever been with even offered whenever she complained about her sun burns. Not an offer to even put a reminder on their phone. When she was with Lydia it wasn’t a problem because Lydia stopped to do it herself and did it for her. But god even as what felt like being a grown was like she still couldn’t manage it on her own. She’d withhold the kiss for now.

“Thank you, lets see what cracks first, the fact that I will have to apply it now or you getting bored of reminding me.” She said casually, not letting him see how difficult it was for her to not throw herself in his arms.

“You, definitely. I have to keep an eye on you no matter what. This just gives me check times.” EZ commented coolly with a shrug and ducked to avoid the pen she threw at him from the other side of the desk.

The rest of the day was calm, but it didn’t ease anyone. Connie was glued to EZ’s hip all day. She waited outside of the bathroom for him. She wasn’t playing around with the rules she was given from Bishop or her sister. Angel already had given her one of his plaid long sleeve shirts while they worked a yard shift with EZ. Gilly enjoyed lifting her up on tall piles to get pieces they would usually send Chucky up for. She put in a full yard shift without complaining once, she didn’t even ask for help when she definitely should have. Angel and Gilly respected anyone who worked hard without lip service. EZ would have been relieved if he wasn’t always filled with terror that Connie would be impaled at anytime.

Coco brought dinner for everyone, mostly Connie, at the end of the shift. He tried to start flirting with Connie but the moment they were done eating EZ took her back to his RV and made her shower. When she got out, wearing a pair of sweats from EZ and a shirt from the market, she laid on the bench and fell asleep almost instantly. EZ didn’t trust she was truly asleep but he had moved all of his guns. He tucked her in again, like he had the night before, and relaxed as much as he could finally being alone, sort of.

In the clubhouse, there was still business to be discussed. Bishop sat with Hank and Taza, Templo doors closed and a few members and women lingering behind past sunset.

“How did it go with Chibs?” Taza asked.

Bishop had rode alone to meet Chibs while EZ watched the Stows. The meeting wasn’t long but it was strenuous and Bishop rode to Chibs. He wanted to look the man in the eye when he lied to him. Swearing his MC had nothing to do with the VM’s getting taken out by a fire. It wasn’t a small party, all of them dying in a fire seemed unlikely even to Bishop but he only played stupid. “He isn’t sold on the fire.” Bishop grumbled. Chibs wasn’t going to let it go, not after the work he did to get the deal to go through.

“If he finds out those bodies are full of bullets.” Taza trailed off with a serious look in his eye.

“Its bad for all of us, I’m aware.” Bishop snapped.

“Whats the play?” Hank asked, leaning on the table.

Bishop grunted and smoked quietly for a moment before answering. “Right now, I’ve offered our services however we can and said we’d start looking on our side to see who did it.”

“Easy way to cover up tracks.” Taza commented.

Bishop closed his fist, tightly. “There better not be any fucking tracks. This is a thin line we’re skating, Galindo’s mother turns up dead, Chibs is sniffing close and Riz is still sitting on a fucking slab somewhere.” Bishop stopped himself from adding anything about Lydia, he wanted to. “I already went to Galindo and Marcus, now we wait and keep our fucking noses clean and our heads down.” He said with finality to Taza and Hank.

“Got it,” Hank confirmed easily.

“Any news on Riz?” Bishop asked quietly.

Hank shook his head. “Autopsy is still delayed.”

“What the fuck is taking so long?” Bishop hissed.

“Do you want me to push?” Hank offered easily.

Bishop shook his head. “No attention right now, we can’t afford it.”

“Something else bothering you, Bishop?” Taza asked concerned.

Of course he wanted to tell Taza and Hank about Lydia. They were his friends and brothers. But it wasn’t the time. “Nothing I have time to worry about right now.” He answered, letting the lie leave his lips. He was already worrying about Lydia and didn’t need anyone else suffering with him.


	5. Deflection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Getting to the meat of it now. I've written ahead a lot, maybe too much, but its working out surprisingly well. Please enjoy, thank you again for reading!

Chapter Five

Deflection

There was a dawning realization for Bishop, that getting Lydia to keep her promise wasn’t going to be as easy as he had hoped. There was only so much he could do from his town. Even less he could do outside of it. It had been two days and the only news he had heard from Lydia was when he pressed her. Sitting in Templo, at his seat with a cigar from Taza he stared at the text thread from Lydia on his phone.

_Update?_

Nearly twelve hours later, she responded. _Nothing solid. Still in LA, laying low._

That was yesterday. And it was nearly noon now. He had through about calling her, just to make her answer him. He didn’t believe she was as safe as she tried to project. Mostly because Lydia was not one to back away from danger, she liked to circle it. There was no one else in Templo, the door was half closed. Only Taza knew he was even back there. He had taken to stopping by the clubhouse in the morning to check on Connie.

He had found her today arguing for a higher price on copper that morning while Chucky stood by, a Romero’s cap on to keep her hair tucked away and one of Angel’s flannel’s over anything she wore for the past two days. Bishop had to reassure Chucky that it was fine, he knew what Connie could be like when she wanted to do something. He wasn’t going to hold it against Chucky for not standing up to her, it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. It also wasn’t going to hurt his bottom line if she got more money for the copper. She didn’t even look at him when he stopped in the office, she was waiving her arms around and throwing jargon around. He didn’t understand how she so quickly understood how the scrap business worked but with Lydia as her guardian, he was sure it was a hell of a story. He had watched her do her best to keep her head down and work whatever task she was given. She was as innocuous as she could be while helping. But that didn’t mean much. He was starting to wonder if it was a family trait.

The phone in his hand started buzzing and Bishop almost filled with hope that it was Lydia, for once following through. But it was Chibs calling him. He wasn’t filled with confidence that it was good news for him.

He answered the call quickly. “Bishop,”

“Can you meet?” Chibs asked without hesitation.

“When and where?” Bishop asked easily.

Taza and Hank joined Bishop on the ride to the address Chibs sent after they told Chucky to get everyone back to the clubhouse by six at the latest. The ride was smooth and calm, no traffic. Not even a speed trap. They met at a run down rest stop off the highway. Chibs and a few other patches were already waiting around a table in the grass. Parking close to the other motorcycles, the Mayan’s walked up to the waiting charter president.

Bishop walked up to Chibs with an offered hand. Chibs took it after a painful pause for a firm hold. “Whats going on?”

“We found out the fire was cover.” Chibs said bluntly.

Bishop already had a sneaking sense that the meeting was about the VM charter that got wiped out and was able to maintain his reaction. “What?” He snapped, playing dumb and angry. Taza and Hank looked equally angry.

“The VM’s had a beef with some Russians up north of you over a business opportunity. They pumped the house full of bullets and tried to burn the house down to cover it up.” Chibs explained with his arms crossed over his chest.

Bishop felt his body light on fire. There was no way it was a coincidence that Russians were now part of a lingering open problem in his life as well. Not when Lydia was involved. But none of the MC knew about Russians causing a headache for the Stow’s and this was exactly what people talked about when they said don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

“What the fuck?” Bishop hissed letting some genuine reaction of shock seep through his anger.

Chibs looked sold on his response, for the moment at least. “They were trying to get the charter to move the product and I want it gone.”

“Anything you need.” Bishop said easily.

“I’ll get some eyes and ears on the streets.” Hank offered quickly.

Chibs looked to Hank with serious eyes. “Only the product, we want the kill.” He said firmly, looking between Hank and Bishop.

“Of course.” Bishop agreed easily.

They shared brief goodbyes before Chibs left first. Once they were alone at the rest stop, Taza and Hank gathered close to Bishop.

“Russians?” Hank asked confused.

The pit he had in his stomach that opened the moment he heard from Lydia again seemed to be getting bigger by the second. He could practically smell Lydia’s signature on this. But he couldn’t get mad that she didn’t tell him, this was one of the better ways the scenario could play out. If he had known before hand he wouldn’t have sold it as well and he couldn’t have Hank or Taza suspicious of him. “Fuck if I know, lets take this as blessing and get that product off the street.” He swore as he walked back to his motorcycle.

Straddling his motorcycle, Bishop took out his phone to text Lydia. If Chibs wanted the same Russians dead, she was going to be in line of fire if she wasn’t careful. Now his club was going to be involved too. The lines were blurring too quickly for him.

_I need to know if you move._

He put his phone in his chest pocket, expecting to wait another twelve hours for a response but his phone buzzed immediately. Pulling his phone back out he looked at the response.

_As soon as I have somewhere to go, you will know._

He growled under his breath. He still wasn’t sure if she was going to follow through or not. The fact that he had to keep instigating any level of communication made him less than confident.

They rode straight back, arriving just after seven at night and Connie was waiting to open and close the gate to the clubhouse for them. Chucky was off duty and she offered to take on the tasks they usually gave him when she was around to do it.

“Templo, now.” Bishop ordered as soon as he was off his motorcycle. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Connie reach him with an expectant look on her face. She was hoping for news about her sister.“Connie, gas up the bikes.” He said with a serious look on his face. He wanted her out of the clubhouse while they talked.

He looked away from her to make sure he didn’t notice the face he was sure she made at him. He didn’t want to have to make a show of power at her expense. The MC went inside the clubhouse, deposited their phones, closed the door to Templo and sat around their table.

Bishop lit a cigarette before he started. “Chibs wanted to meet about the fire.” He said flatly. Everyone tensed at the table. “They found out it was cover, but they think it was the Russians.” He explained.

“Russians?” Coco asked confused.

Bishop nodded as he took a long drag of his cigarette seeing the same confused face.

“Guess the charter had a bad relationship with some of them up north. Chibs wants our help finding the Russians and taking out the product, they want the kill.” Taza explained for Bishop.

“And we are going to be the best goddamn drug sniffing dogs they’ve ever seen. This is dumb luck and we’re taking advantage of it.” Bishop said with flashing eyes.

“Agreed.” Angel said easily. This was as close to a blessing as they were ever going to get.

“No one talks about that night. You understand. Our alibi was the party at Vicki’s for Riz.” Bishop reaffirmed for them. They all had come up with the story when the fire was set. They all knew the details but it didn’t hurt to remind them.

“I’ve got my guys on it now, if they have anything for us, we’’ll know.” Hank said confidently.

“Once we find the product, we take it off the streets and if we can we hand the Russians to Sam Crow and let this be done. No one ever speaks on it again.” Bishop said as he took the gavel and slammed it on the table.

Collecting their phones again Connie was at the bar now, cleaning whatever tools were back there for bar-tending. Bishop had Maria stay home while Connie was there, she wasn’t an old lady, she was just an employee and he couldn’t make her keep the same kind of promises that the rest of the club would. That meant Connie had to pick up her duties but EZ was always close by to help her. He was the first out of Templo and was already behind the bar with her.

Angel jogged up to the bar before Coco or Creeper made it before him. They were both only getting more and more sweet on Connie. “Connie, lets go I still need to beat you.” He said nodding to the free pool table as she handed him a cold beer.

“You have to be good first.” She retorted while he twisted the cap off.

“Get the goddamn cue’s.” Angel hissed, throwing the bottle cap at her.

Bishop felt calmer whenever both Reyes’ were around Connie. EZ would protect her but Angel would protect EZ. He would keep his brother from getting hurt, at least Bishop hoped. Taza and Hank sat a table close to each other, going over possible contacts for the ask from Chibs. Gilly had already left to go reach out to a contact. Coco and Creeper got sent to find any information about the Russians. Bishop didn’t want anymore of his guys away, not while Connie was still there, he also felt like an asshole for sending his guys on a wild goose chase for an organization that didn’t feel like it was completely free of Stow influence. But they also had been the ones who committed the actual crimes and were willing to go on the hunt to find anyone else to take the blame. Well, almost anyone.

He knew he had to tell Marcus at least that they were going to be working with Sam Crow for the time being. Calling his cousin, he realized he was probably on duty for Galindo but he would still answer.

“Bishop?” Marcus answered concerned.

“Chibs called.” He responded simply.

“Not over the phone.” Marcus said before the line disconnected.

Meeting Marcus was at least something to do that wasn’t stressfully looking at his phone and waiting to hear anything from Lydia. Bishop looked at his texts to see the address from Marcus before putting his phone in his pocket.

“That's cheating!” Angel yelled once the eight ball sunk.

“How is being better than you at pool cheating?” Connie asked confused.

EZ laughed heartily before getting tackled by Angel and put into a headlock. The brotherly tussle wasn’t uncommon, even Connie wasn’t concerned by it. But she did sit on the pool table to get out of the way of it and watched with great amusement while she sat with her legs crossed. Bishop glanced over at Hank and Taza, before nodding toward the Reyes. They both nodded back, understanding that he was leaving and they needed to keep an eye on them.

Bishop left the clubhouse without announcement, this was more personal than anything. Driving out into the desert where he was told to meet, Bishop enjoyed the peace. The little bit he got. Marcus was waiting for him in the darkness when he arrived.

“Primo,” Marcus said as they embraced.

They were both far enough away from their vehicles, no one else was around. “Chibs said the VM charter that got taken out was a hit from Russians they had beef with up north.” Bishop explained quickly.

Marcus was taken aback. There was only so far south that the Russians went in California. He would have heard of any moves they made before then. “Russians?” He asked not sold on the answer.

“Its what the man said.” Bishop said with a shrug. Playing stupid was coming easier to him.

Even though Marcus wasn’t El Padrino anymore, he still felt keenly the loss of Riz and knew how angry the MC was about it. Bishop had told the rest of the MC and Rey De Los Mayas that they would not retaliate. And now a whole charter was wiped out. “What else did he say?” Marcus asked curiously.

Bishop wanted to sell the story to the land, he didn’t care if Galindo found out about what happened. It was just more people to believe that the Russians were the ones responsible. “He wants us to find the product that caused of all of this and get it off the street. They want the kills.” Bishop answered easily.

“I’ll keep my eye out for any wayward Russians.” Marcus offered with a nod.

“Thank you,” Bishop said as he held out his hand.

Marcus took the offered hand and pulled Bishop close. “Be careful, primo. Chibs’ is a smart man, he won’t be fooled.” He muttered to his younger cousin in his hold.

The separated and Bishop sighed with serious look on his face. “I know,”

Marcus retreated back to the SUV he had driven in and left Bishop alone in the dark. He wanted something else to take his attention away from all of the things that were up in the air that he had no control over. But Bishop settled on riding back to the clubhouse. He had left Connie there, and he didn’t like being away too long. Riding back to the clubhouse, he parked and stomped in, scanned the room quickly and found Connie behind the bar with EZ sitting at a stool in front of her, Taza and Hank still at their table and Angel in a far corner on a couch with one of Vicki’s girls. Seeing everything was just as he left it, he headed for Templo to find some kind of peace.

Connie had spent the past two days keeping her eye on Bishop. Just because her sister asked him to look out for her, didn’t mean she wasn’t going to look out for him as well. The MC would do whatever he asked, but Bishop didn’t look the type to be coddled or cared for and but that didn’t mean he didn’t need it. She wanted to help him because he helped her sister. They had only spoke about Iraq once, when she was twenty-one and Mary finally decided she wanted to get to know her youngest child and had reached out to her.

There weren’t events in Lydia’s life that she had issue speaking about, only those six months, but she forced herself to so that Connie understood who Mary was and what she was capable of. Mary wasn’t their mother, she gave birth to them and let the world do its worst to them. Connie always hoped, secretly, she would meet their mother and they would all forgive each other and live happily ever after. After Lydia explained the depths of Mary’s lack of humanity or care for anything that wasn’t herself, Connie had a very quick change of heart. It was one of the few times she didn’t cry. She wanted to. It was an awful series of events and knowing that Bishop helped her during that time when her own flesh and blood put her through hell endeared him to Connie eternally. She knew he was a grown man and didn’t need a twenty-five year old looking out for him, but he also didn’t eat if she didn’t put a plate in front of him. After the first day she realized he didn’t drink water either if she didn’t bring it with his coffee in the morning.

So, she quietly did her best to take care of all of them, for the debt that Lydia had to Bishop. She helped Hank with research online, showed him tricks and made him promise to never tell Bishop what she showed him. Taza had brought new art to the clubhouse and she made him tea and asked him about the new artwork and all of the existing pieces since no one else cared. Angel clearly needed to be distracted from whatever was weighing him down and she gladly took the mantle of annoying little sister that she was already so good at to help him forget whatever was looming over his head and it seemed to work when she was around at least, she liked seeing him smile and laugh with his brother the most. Gilly showed her his specialized tools when he saw how good she was at cleaning guns. While Coco and Creeper wanted to sleep with her, as they had both offered quickies behind Bishop’s back, she still brought them beers when they asked and showed them how to play domino’s, with EZ of course. Always with EZ.

He was the only one she couldn’t find a way to help. He was constantly the one helping her. Every hour and a half he’d find her, pull out the small bottle of sunblock he kept on him at all times and made her reapply the lotion to her face, ears and neck. He’d make her stop working to drink water when her cheeks got too flushed. Every night she passed out, he took off her shoes and tucked her in. She wanted to be useful to EZ, she needed to be. He was the one who was helping her the most, but all she could do was try to be self-sufficient and offer help whenever she could. She took on more work in the yard than she should have, she didn’t ask him for help unless she absolutely needed it and she kept her damn hands to herself.

If she had met EZ in LA, there would have been no stopping her. But this wasn’t LA, it was Santo Padre and the Connie in Santo Padre needed to keep her head. And that meant not sleeping with the person who woke up every day to help her. It was not an easy task when that person was EZ Reyes. Anyone would fall in love him, he was sweet, smart, funny and built like a mac-truck. She could spend hours talking about all of the little things about EZ that were attractive but if she did, keeping him at arms length was going to be even harder.

“Does Bishop always look like he’s on the verge of a stroke?” Connie asked curiously, a few minutes after Bishop had stormed through the clubhouse back into Templo.

“Its stressful for him right now.” He answered with a shrug.

“Looks stressful for everyone.” She commented as she handed him a beer.

He chuckled sadly as he took the beer from her. “Yeah,”

“How much longer do we need to hang out here?” She asked as she absently wiped the bar counter down with a damp rag. She had already done every task she was given, the clubhouse as clean, the bar was stocked. She was ready for bed.

EZ glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was nearly midnight and they had been up and working at seven in the morning. “Tired?”

She stood on her toes to lean over the bar to get closer to EZ. “Very,” She said almost like a whine.

Biting back a chuckle, he nodded. “Angel,” he called out over his shoulder. Angel stood up from the couch, leaving the woman behind he had his arm around and walked up to EZ.

“What?” Angel asked expectantly.

“Sit with her while I go talk to Bishop.” EZ said as he stood from the bar.

Angel nodded. “Yeah, I got her.” He confirmed as he took the seat EZ had been occupying.

“That's a bold statement.” She retorted before she could stop herself.

Angel reached over the bar and flicked her ear, playfully. “You ain’t that slick.”

Chuckling at the sight of Angel and Connie play-fighting over the bar, EZ turned toward Templo. He gave a respectful nod to Taza and Hank before walking down the hallway toward Templo. The door was open, Bishop was at his seat with another cigarette lit and was staring at the table, lost in thought.

“Bish?” EZ asked as he knocked on the door frame.

Bishop looked up from the table as soon as EZ spoke. “Where’s Connie?” He asked as soon as he saw Connie wasn’t standing anywhere near him.

“Angel is with her.” EZ answered nodding over his shoulder. Bishop relaxed a little. “Do you need us? Connie is ready to pass out at the bar.”

Bishop shook his head. “Get her to bed.”

EZ nodded and left Bishop alone. Once he cleared the hallway, he found Connie’s waiting eyes and nodded. “Goodnight everyone, please don’t miss me too much.” She announced as she rushed out from behind the bar, making the rest of the clubhouse laugh.

“Get the hell out!” Angel yelled over the laughter.

Outside of the clubhouse, walking through the yard toward the RV, Connie pulled Angel’s shirt tighter around her middle. He had given her the actual shirt off his back during her first yard shift. Her arms were exposed and Angel wasn’t about to have her sun-burnt to shit or scratched up. “Angel might like me more than you do.”

“He might.” EZ agreed teasingly. Connie jabbed her finger in his side. “Ow,” he laughed as he pushed her along. As they reached the door of the RV, head lights appeared in the darkness and a familiar truck rounded the corner. “Get inside.” He rushed as he pushed Connie inside.

Pulling the door closed, he turned back to the truck and walked up to the drivers side window. “Everything okay, Pop?” He asked concerned.

“Fine, just checking in.” Felipe said looking over his son’s shoulder at the RV.

EZ knew his father had seen Connie getting into the RV, there was no way he didn’t. “Club stuff.” He answered the unasked question sitting in the air.

Felipe didn’t fully believe the answer but he saw how much pressure his son was under and didn’t want to cause him any more stress. “Be careful,”

“Always, Pop.” EZ promised. They shared a brief look before Felipe accepted his answer and put the truck in reverse, leaving just as he came in.

EZ didn’t return to the RV right away. Connie was safe in there, there was no way in or out without him seeing it. He needed a moment to himself. He sat on one of the lawn chairs and rested his elbows on his knees, dropping his head into his hands for a moment. It was wearing on him, keeping all the lies and the ruses running. Remembering them all wasn’t the issue, that was the easiest part, living with them all was the hard part. Looking his father in the eye and not telling him everything hurt him. Lying to Angel, even if it was on orders from Bishop. Wondering if Galindo would ever find out what he did to Dita. If Emily would be safe afterward. The VM charter they took out, the Son’s patch they killed. Lydia in the wind with nothing but a two week countdown and a confident smile. It was all starting to get too much for EZ.

After a few minutes alone, EZ collected himself and went inside the RV. Connie was sitting at the bench, the table already broken down, both set with pillows and a blanket, two for her because she was always colder, with her phone in hand looking annoyed at what was on the screen.

“What needs to be done to make that room hospitable?” She asked suddenly.

He appreciated that she didn’t ask about who it was, what took him so long or any other prying questions he knew would be a struggle to lie to her about. “At least a new bed. Probably a nuke.” EZ said as he made a disgusted face toward the room.

“If I get you the money, will you put a bed in there to sleep on a surface meant for sleep?” She asked pleadingly. She could work hard but she needed comfort, at least while she slept.

“I don’t think Bishop is going to let me leave you to go mattress shopping.” He said with a chuckle as he sat across from her.

Connie groaned loudly as she fell to the side to lay on the bench.

“Where were you going to get the money?” EZ asked curiously.

Connie’s eyes flashed a fear he hadn’t seen from her before. “Don’t worry about it. Goodnight.” She rushed out as she took the blanket, wrapped it around her shoulders and turned away from him.

EZ wanted to pressure her to tell him, even if it was just to tease her. But he remembered what Bishop had said. No personal shit. He was struggling to remember that part. “Goodnight,” He repeated into the silence.


	6. Crumble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks for reading so far. Every chapter turns out to be ten pages long, I know its insane. Thanks for keeping up, enjoy!

Chapter Six

Crumble

The next day was calm, normal duties were handled. Gilly had already returned and Coco and Creeper were back before dinner, which Connie got to cook for them, something she enjoyed, greatly. Lydia wasn’t as adventurous as the MC was. It was nice to have more people around then just her and her sister, maybe Uncle Ted if he was feeling up to it. They all matched her energy or at least wanted to try. There was bustling and talking with food and booze and weed. The women that were hanging around the MC weren’t threatened by Connie, they could tell she was new. Even in college there wasn’t a party as fun as a regular dinner at the clubhouse. The fun she had with Lydia was different. Even Lydia understood that. The way that everything ended with a card game and someone making out in the corner was amusing to Connie, it was easy to relax around for her. Everyone just wanted to have fun, no one wanted anything from her, there was no expectation for her other than bar services, which she kind of enjoyed.

Having a Bishop shield around her was a new experience, she was used to Lydia’s version. People were terrified of Lydia. They didn’t want to party with Connie, they wanted to avoid Connie. The people Lydia exposed her to wanted to be unknown, they didn’t want friends or parties. And they definitely weren’t going to do anything with Lydia Stow’s little sister. But being under Bishop’s wing was different, the club respected him and answered to him but were close still like a family. These weren’t coworkers, they were brothers and so Connie got treated like a little sister, mostly. Coco and Creeper had seen how Connie looked at EZ and EZ’s constant orders were to keep eyes on Connie. Staring at a person for a long enough time starts to wear down the walls that were so carefully built up. And Angel had threatened the both of them to stop making Connie uncomfortable or they were going in the cage with him and EZ.

She got to relax around them for once and know she was safe, even if EZ wasn’t next to her at all times, with his fists clenched around the front of his kutte, Bishop was the leader. Bishop was also clearly in love with her sister. Connie knew it wasn’t just loved at some point in his life. It was active, like a volcano in him. There was just a quiet period. She hoped he’d try to stop Lydia from leaving, if she ever came back. But then she realized she’d never get to Berkeley. If that was what she even wanted anymore. She was just so sick of never finishing anything. She wanted to prove to herself that she could do it. She told the whole world, told herself, that she would be a teacher and she’d do it, for once. Not that she couldn’t go to another school if she wanted, she had just put so much effort into trying to get into Berkeley, it felt like an insult to her own past wishes to just give it up.

But that meant leaving EZ and the MC in Santo Padre, which was starting to sound less and less like something she wanted to do by the day. She liked everyone, even Bishop being eternally grumpy wasn’t hard to be around. He never snapped at her, not like he did the rest of the MC. She had watched him control himself from doing it. Hank and Taza only saw her as a surrogate niece, they patted her head sweetly and taught her new slight of hand tricks. Gilly was fun to be around and liked to quietly play cards with her to get her good enough to beat Angel at that too. Coco and Creeper always had interesting things to say, when they finally stopped hitting on her. Angel was the big brother Connie had always secretly wished for. He was annoying and sweet at the same time and always knew when to stop a conversation from going where it shouldn’t. All of them made it feel like a home, like a safe place and somewhere she was wanted and embraced for all the weird things she was. All of the weird quirks that she had picked up from Lydia weren’t strange or concerning around them. They loved how much she hated cops. The fact that she could steal from the MC without them noticing, except for EZ, he caught her every time.

On her fifth day at the clubhouse, sixth in Santo Padre, it was supposed to be another calm day, until Bishop popped in the RV at eight in the morning.

Connie was leaning against on the of the kitchen counters, sipping her coffee while EZ was making his own. Both of them stopped and looked at Bishop in confusion. “Hanks guys are coming in with intel, I want you out of sight.” He said to both of them, but pointed his finger at Connie.

“I need to check on my pops, I could take her to the shop.” EZ offered. It would be an easy day for him, keeping Connie in the shop only while checking on his father, and letting Felipe see that Connie wasn’t something he needed to worry about for EZ.

Bishop liked the idea. The oldest Reyes was a man who rolled well with punches thrown from both of his son’s crazy lifestyle choice. There were much worse places to keep her, and he didn’t think leaving her at Vicki’s would be a good idea. “Ride there, ride back. And keep her out of sight. I’ll call you when its safe to bring her back.”

“Got it.” EZ confirmed with a nod.

EZ rushed Connie to get ready to get to the shop quickly. He wanted her out of sight as fast as possible. She rode with the Romero’s baseball cap under the helmet, jeans, a plain t-shirt and Angel’s flannel. EZ wondered if Angel was ever going to get the shirt back. Once the helmet was secure, EZ made her put on a pair of large sunglasses that covered half her face and she was unrecognizable. She was merely a person riding with EZ, nothing special.

There was a little traffic due to the time but EZ wanted to get her off properly as fast as possible. He didn’t know if any of the freelance guys that Hank knew had history with Lydia or Connie and he’d rather not find out. He parked his bike behind the shop, knowing the door would be open, and rushed Connie in before anyone saw them.

Walking into the back shop, EZ called out down the hallway. “Pops,”

Felipe came around from the front, wiping his hands and stopped when his eyes fell on Connie. “Hi, I’m Connie,”

“Felipe Reyes,” He said holding out his now clean hand.

Connie smiled and shook his hand firmly, like Lydia had taught her. “Nice to meet you,”

The question was waiting in his fathers eyes. “Club is letting her lay low for a little.” EZ explained. Connie had a timid smile on her face. Felipe had no issue believing she was trouble. “We’re here to help for the day, Bishop needs us off property for club stuff.” EZ added.

“Is everything okay?” Felipe asked looking between the two of them.

EZ wanted nothing more than to break down at his fathers feet. It wasn’t alright, he was stressed and it wasn’t getting better. But, he wasn’t going to say that. He never did. He just nodded with a forced smile. “Yeah, Pops.” He confirmed.

“I hope you don’t have a problem with raw meat.” Felipe said with a raised brow to Connie.

Connie wanted to laugh at the concerned looks on Felipe and EZ’s face. They really thought a half slab of a cow was going to make her uncomfortable but they didn’t know where she came from. Lydia found her and took her in when she was nearly eleven, she already had years of memories and experience that wouldn’t be described as pleasant and once she was under her sisters care the experiences got weirder. Their family, all of them, Uncle Ted, the cousins, Mary, all of them were criminals, just not convicted. Lydia wanted to turn it around for Connie, make a respectable life for her, for Connie. Not for Lydia. Lydia hated the cops, following rules that stopped her from getting things done that she determined were important. Lydia wanted to help those who needed it and punish those who deserved it, by her standards, not the laws.

While she tried to raise Connie to be different, there were still parts of the life she had before her sister that seeped in. Like when Lydia would return home beaten, broken or shot. Connie had been a trauma nurse since she was twelve years old. Set her first dislocated shoulder six months after that. She sewed her first stitches when she was fourteen. That was just what she saw when helping Lydia. She enjoyed that they thought she was normal.

“Its not a problem.” Connie reassured both Reyes men.

EZ stayed out front to work with customers while Connie helped Felipe however he needed in the back. She had to bundle up in the freezer even while she worked because she was just cold all the time. But she didn’t complain. It was an interesting change of pace for her. Felipe was much more like the father figure she never had than Uncle Ted ever was. He naturally started teaching her everything about butchering and made her watch out for her hands and be more aware of her surroundings. She did her best, she didn’t want to disappoint him. After a little bit of practice her cuts were passable, for a first timer.

For lunch, Felipe closed the shop up so that Connie could leave the back without being seen and brought them both sandwiches from the bodega across the street. Connie found the books in front and picked one to start reading. She had kept her Spanish up to par as best she could, it wasn’t hard to living in LA. Felipe told her a story about the author and helped her with some of the uncommon words. Once their hour was up, Connie was returned to the back but Felipe made her keep the book.

Not long after Felipe reopened the shop did Emily and Miguel walk through the doors, both still dressed in all black. Dita’s funeral had yet to be held, Miguel was still reeling from his mothers sudden death. It was the first time they had entered the shop since they found her body in the desert.

Seeing Miguel and Emily looking raw and effected by Dita’s death wasn’t something EZ wanted to witness. He didn’t need anything else to wear at his already tortured soul.

Looking up from the display, Emily locked eyes with her high-school love. “EZ,” Emily gasped.

“I didn’t know Felipe needed help.” Miguel commented tensely.

Before EZ could respond, Felipe appeared from the hallway. “Doesn’t hurt at my age, what can I get you?” The older man commented quickly before EZ could.

Miguel’s jaw was set, tightly. Emily forced a smile for Felipe. “A roast.” She asked softly. Felipe nodded and when into a display case around EZ.

“Nestor saw you riding with a woman, glad to you see your moving on. Finally.” Miguel commented offhanded as he put his arm around Emily’s waist.

EZ bit the inside of his cheek to control his reaction. He didn’t care that Miguel said it in front of Emily, that she looked sad for a moment at the mention of EZ being with another woman. He was upset that anyone from Galindo’s life laid eyes on Connie. He didn’t need them poking around and he definitely didn’t want Miguel even mentioning her.

“Just a girl who needed a ride.” He answered easily with a casual shrug.

“That so? What a boy scout.” Miguel retorted dryly.

“Miguel,” Emily muttered, warning as she touched his arm.

Felipe finished wrapping the roast and reached over the counter to hand it to Emily. “Here you go,” He said softly to Emily. She thanked him and handed him the cash for the roast. “I’m sorry about Dita.” He said to Miguel.

Miguel’s jaw went hard and he only looked at EZ with contempt. Emily pulled at his jacket to distract him and he looked at the older Reyes. “Thank you,” He said stiffly before taking the meat and leaving. Emily handed Felipe the cash and left.

As soon as the door closed, Connie’s head swung around the corner. “What was that about?” Connie asked confused. Neither Reyes answered her, only staring out the shop at the vehicles that hadn’t left yet.

Once the fleet of SUV’s had cleared the street, Connie left the crouched position on the wall and walked up to EZ, touching his hand gently, shaking him from his trance. They locked eyes for a moment and she gave him a small comforting smile. He sighed and nodded, going back to the tasks they had been working.

Felipe watched the way that Connie and EZ moved around each other. It was natural and fluid. How she instinctively knew what to do, how he barely glanced at Emily but kept shifting his eyes to the mirror on the opposite wall Felipe had set up years ago to see who was coming up from the back while he worked the front of the shop. Connie couldn’t be seen in the mirror but that was the point, she needed to stay out of sight. He needed her out of sight. They were hyper aware of each other at all times. EZ didn’t relax if his eyes weren’t on Connie. Any time there was a sudden movement or noise, Connie was looking for EZ. Felipe was aware there was more to Connie then she was just laying low with the MC, he still had his wits about him, and he realized how intertwined they were. It reminded him of when he first met Marisol, how well they complimented each other, how easy they fit together. Felipe always assumed Emily was EZ’s person from how much he loved her, but he always felt there was a part of Emily that didn’t match EZ. Whatever that part was had its match now and he hoped his son saw that before it was too late. If it wasn’t already.

EZ got the call from Bishop to come back just after four. “We gotta go Pops,” He said as he walked into the back where Felipe and Connie were sitting on crates on the floor, reading.

Felipe nodded and stood, holding his hand out for Connie to help her stand. She didn’t need it but she liked being coddled, only a little. “Thanks for letting me hide out here.” She said appreciatively.

“Thank you for the help.” Felipe said as he reached over to take a bag from the freezer and handed it to her. “Take these with you, for dinner.” He said as he kissed Connie’s cheek.

Just in true Connie fashion, she put her arms around Felipe and hugged him like he was Santa showing up on Christmas. “You are a saint, Felipe.” She gushed.

Felipe chuckled and walked them to the back door. EZ’s motorcycle waited for them, Felipe checked the alley before he let Connie walk out of the back door, making sure no one was looking for them. “Take care of yourselves.” He said as EZ mounted his bike.

Watching Connie swing onto the motorcycle and cling to EZ, without hesitation, even in his sour mood, Felipe waved them off and hoped the night got better for his son.

Riding back into Romero’s, Chucky was waiting at the RV and told them Bishop wanted EZ in Templo. Connie made a face at the mention of the only room she wasn’t allowed in but promised not to leave the RV once he left her at the door. She told him she’d shower and change while he was waiting and promised to just sit and read. He didn’t fully believe her but he had no choice. Once he left Connie at the RV, he jogged to the clubhouse, left his phone in the already full basket and joined the meeting.

Everyone was there already, they already knew he had taken Connie to hide at his father’s shop while all of the unsavory characters passed through the scrap yard as needed. Bishop made eye contact with EZ.

“She good?” Bishop asked over the cross talk at the table.

“Yeah,” EZ confirmed with a nod as he sat at the remaining seat.

Bishop let out a relieved breath. “Good,” He said, almost feeling calm before explaining what intel they had. “Here’s what we know, the Russians have a meeting tomorrow in the desert outside LA. There is an abandoned warehouse they are bringing the product to, we’ve got an estimate on the amount of guys, guns and an old layout of the building. Its tight.”

“If we’re smart we can do this. Wait for the Russians to leave, and then take the new owners out as they leave.” Taza explained to the room.

“This looks big, Bish.” Angel commented. They weren’t exactly a large MC.

“We can handle it.” Hank confirmed with a nod.

“I want a regular ass day tomorrow. We do our jobs, we don’t start shit and then we leave no later than seven to get to this place once the meeting is already happening. I want surprise on our side for once. Gilly, Creeper, get the weapons ready, quietly. EZ make sure our rides are ready.” Bishop ordered before taking the gravel and bringing it down with force.

The three members with orders all stood and left the room to complete what they needed to. EZ was still in charge of maintenance and knew all the motorcycles were ready for whatever trip they needed but he still went and checked out each of them. Angel came out an hour later and helped silently before going to help Creeper and Gilly once all of the motorcycles were deemed road worthy to Bishop’s standards. EZ confirmed with Bishop the rides were ready and he was released for the night with a threat to not tell Connie about any of it. He agreed, he had no intention of telling her about club business.

As he shuffled his way back to the RV, he wondered what mess Connie had gotten herself into while he was gone, what she had managed to poke around and find but she was sitting where he left her, with a different book, showered and in clothes she liked to sleep in. She looked up at him as he entered and saw how tired he looked.

“There’s hot water. Promise.” She said with soft smile.

He grumbled an agreement before opening a cabinet to grab fresh clothes to sleep in and disappeared into the bathroom. He took the hottest shower he could bear. The day was not even over and he was past exhausted. He didn’t think seeing Miguel and Emily would be as hard as it was. Or being around his father. He thought Connie would make it worse but she seemed to be the only part of his day that didn’t turn against him, knowingly or not. Once the hot water ran out, he cut the water, ran a towel over his body without much care and changed into the sweats and tank top he grabbed. Leaving the bathroom, Connie was still sitting at the table, with two plates of leftovers from Felipe, steaming and waiting. She looked at him with concern, she knew something was bothering him but she didn’t say anything.

Sitting at the other side of the table, he mumbled thanks to her and they ate in silence. Silence was something Connie was used to with Lydia but she was always allowed to break it. She felt the tension radiating off of EZ and she knew the silence was something he needed and she wanted to give him what he needed. But it was not easy for her. They made it through their meal before she finally snapped.

“I know you need silence right now, I can tell, but I’m very bad at silence. Is everything okay?” She asked with concern.

“You aren’t bad at silence, you just can’t stop yourself when you don’t want silence anymore.” He snapped before he could stop himself as he snatched the dishes from the table and left the table to take them to the sink.

“That's a fair rip into my psyche.” She retorted before he could apologize, she knew who she was.

Watching EZ take the dishes to the sink and aggressively start washing them, she knew to leave him to his task and busied herself with breaking down the table. She put everything from the table where it belong, just like EZ had showed her and went to pull the beds out when she stopped to look back at EZ at the sink.He looked like each dish had done something personal to him and was working his anger out on it. She waited to see what would happen when he was finished. All he did was place the last dish on the drying rack and rest his fists on the counter leaning forward against them. He didn’t look any more at ease than when he came in.

In that moment, Connie decided to take a slightly dangerous step with EZ, he was clearly a man ready to become unhinged but all anyone needed when they were about to become unhinged was someone to help keep them on said hinge. She could be that person for him, in a friend capacity. Without having sex with him, she could do it. If every woman at Vicki’s still charged him with that face, she could say no. But it was a risk to take that Connie didn’t need to take, technically. She could take her phone call Bishop and rat that EZ was ready to pop about something and let that play out. That was an easy path to take, but the one that very quickly led to destruction. The other was to be there for him, be a friend to the man who looked like the world was trying to crush him.

With a steadying breath, Connie never did this with anyone but Lydia and maybe Ted, she crossing the small space between them. She squeezed herself next to him and the wall that divided the bathroom. “You look ready to split at the seams, EZ.” She murmured, reaching out to touch the strained muscle in his neck.

EZ chuckled bitterly. It was exactly what he felt like.

Seeing his muscles tense as soon as she touched his neck, she realized how on edge he was and dropped her hand to his back to start rubbing his back like Lydia had done for her. “Do you want to talk about it?” She asked genuinely curious.

Being in such a small space with Connie while she rubbed his back like a child while barely reaching his chin made him want to keep laughing. But he was distracted by her question and got angry as soon as he heard the words. Just being asked felt like an accusation. “Whats talking about it going to fucking do?” He hissed while he continued to look at his fists.

He wanted to look over and see her hurt by his harsh question but she simply shrugged her shoulders and continued to rub his back. “Its what my sister asks me and I usually do want to talk about it.” She answered earnestly.

“Its not the same.” He said lowly, almost like a growl. He felt like a wounded animal, trying to appear larger to intimidate predators. But Connie wasn’t a predator.

“It might not be.” She agreed coolly.

He was getting angrier with every response from Connie. She was good at keeping the conversation going and it irritated him. He didn’t want to talk about it. “You don’t know shit about this life.”

“Of course not, I don’t live here.” She responded easily, shaking her head. “But I am aware of how stress can effect a person.” She pointed out as she turned her neck to show the bandage under her hair.

“You gonna tell me what I should do, Constance?” He asked leaning over her, trying to get her to drop the subject, almost like a threat.

Connie wasn’t the one who agreed to conflicts like this, that was Lydia, but Connie felt natural standing straighter, holding her neck proudly to EZ. This was easy to her, knowing what steps to follow with EZ. “Only if you ask me to, Ezekiel.” She said quietly as she reached up to touch the side of his face, running her finger tips, up his cheek and over his ear.

EZ didn’t think he had the ability to be undone by a woman still, he had hoped he had locked it away once he got out of prison. At least for now, Emily didn’t count, she was before prison, that EZ was always going to love her. But when Connie stroked the outside of his ear, before rubbing the lobe of his ear between her thumb and forefinger he wanted to tell her everything. Every thought, every action, all of the awful things he had to do to get to this point in his life. That was not something he could afford to do.

He needed to put space between them before he let something slip he couldn’t come back from. He gripped his fists and pushed himself away, toward the door. “Stay here.” He snapped over his shoulder.

Connie had grabbed his hanging hand and pulled tight when he attempted to leave, using that surprising strength again. EZ could have used brute strength to get himself away from her, but by the time he paused to consider it, she had glued herself to his arm. Of course, he could still pry her off of him, violently, but even if he had killed someone with his bare hands, he couldn’t hurt her. He could see she just wanted to help, she desperately didn’t want to make it worse.

“Wait, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have pushed you like that. I just hate seeing you like this, you look so miserable.” She said sadly as she rested her face against his bicep.

“I am fucking miserable.” He confirmed with a raw voice that didn’t sound like him.

Connie put her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, seeing how broken he was in that moment she could tell he needed physical comfort. She thought he would just accept it, or pull against her eventually, but instead he wrapped his arms around her waist, his face completely hidden in her neck and started sobbing. He had thought he done enough crying but as soon as she cradled his head, like his mother used to when he was upset, he broke. Crumpling to the ground, Connie guided him down expertly, resting against the bench they slept on, his head cradled to her chest and his hold shifted for him to lay on his side on the ground while they held each other. Of course Connie ended up on the ground again.

“I only got out of prison because of a deal I made with the DEA and now the FEDs have Angel pulled into it and his kid too. And my fucking dad. Because of the choices I made. I can’t tell the club any of it because they’ll kill me, and if they don’t Galindo will have Alvarez do it. I killed Galindo’s mother, she ordered the hit on my parents that killed my mother. She asked me to and I fucking killed her.” He sobbed into her neck, quietly.

Connie hushed him while he sobbed, much quieter than she had heard anyone cry, and hummed the song Lydia always hummed to her whenever she cried like this. It was a song that Lydia grew up with and never let go of. Connie couldn’t name the song if there was a gun to her head, but she could hum it. She hadn’t let anyone hear this song before. No one was ever allowed to be part of something that was just for the sisters, Connie had kept it away from every friend and every boyfriend. But this man crying in her arms got to hear it, he earned it. She ran her finger tips across his back and sides with pressure to him know she was there still and holding him tight, with one hand at least. The other very securely cradled his head, perfectly allowing him to wrap his arms around her like one would a huge stuffed animal while he poured his soul out.

EZ hadn’t allowed himself time to process all of the choices he had made and all of the people that died at his hand and what it now made himself in the story of his life. Had his redemption arc go so far off course because of his rage to make his mothers killer pay? He thought he had done the right thing. He spared Happy’s life, the actual hands that killed his mothert, but not for a reason other than cold hard cash, to get to the truth of the matter and who really paid him to take her life. Dita allowed the Reyes men to kill her for what she did. She begged for death after she couldn’t do it herself. That should be true justice and it felt like plain murder.

Sometime just before dawn, in the darkest part of the night, EZ only remembered hearing Connie hum a song he had heard before but couldn’t name. He didn’t know the name. He’d find out though, he would dedicate his life to finding that song if he had to. Connie’s fingers were sleepily dragging along his side but her hold on his head was still secure. He felt safe for once. Laying on the ground of the RV, having split all his guts out, every piece of internal dilemma had been laid bare to her and she simply took it in. He thought he’d want to see her face when he told his truth to someone like that but his ear was pressed against her chest and her heart nestled right below that and he never heard her heartbeat jump once. She never listened to a deed he did, how he felt doing it, how it haunted him, and judged him or reacted to it.

Of course he didn’t know that tears streamed down Connie’s face while he bared his truth to her. She didn’t sob, she wasn’t crying. She was just so sad that he had to go through so much and doing it under the pressure of all of the decisions he had to make to balance the whole world resting on his shoulders. When she touched his shoulders she could feel the tension settled so deep into the muscle she was worried if he’d ever be able to relax, truly. After hearing everything that was weighing him down, she understood the tension. All she could do in that moment to avoid making it about herself was hum that tune and rub his back and that's what she did until he passed out, finally.

The next day, EZ only had to be available for Bishop and be on Connie detail until they had to leave to interrupt the Russian meeting. He wasn’t on shift for the yard so she knew they were golden until noon at least and she was going to try and sleep a little. If she could. She took his head, gently and shifted so that his head rested on the bench of the couch. His arms were locked around her, even while he was still soundly asleep he was not going to let her go. Her only option was to curl up, in his hold for the night. There had been a blanket hanging what looked like so close but even once EZ’s head was resting on the couch, she was still not able to reach the hanging blanket, his arms were cinder blocks around her waist, holding her down. Accepting that the blanket was out of her reach, Connie slumped back down and let her body fall into the space between EZ and the bench. His arms shifted around her naturally, accommodating her into his space while he slept. She nestled her head under his jaw, letting his chin rest on the crown of her head before she closed her eyes and slept.

EZ only slept less than four hours but when he woke up it felt like he had been born brand new. He had fallen asleep against the bench of the couch he normally slept on with Connie completely under him for warmth. The RV was always colder at night. He didn’t mind it, but Connie was less like radiator than he was. He reached up to just get to the blanket that was definitely dangling just out of reach for Connie and pulled down three blankets at once. He chuckled softly to himself as he started wrapping the blankets around her and didn’t realize she was awake.

“Are you trying to suffocate me?” She asked confused.

He dropped his head and rested his nose on her forehead as he continued to laugh. Of course she would wake up right when he was covering her in blankets. “You Stows and your timing.” He laughed openly.

“Its okay if you were trying to take me out via blanket, its a respectful way to go.” Connie said as she stretched forward.

“No,” he chuckled shaking his head. He reached out and moved her hair away from her face and ran his thumb over her cheek. “God, no.” He whispered. “Thank you, I haven’t had anyone I could just be completely open with, without starting a chain reaction of events that ends up making everyone in my life and everyone I love suffer.” He said almost too casually.

Hearing him calmly explain his mental state in the light of day, Connie wanted to hold him again. “You were ready to pop. What were you going to do if I wasn’t there to hold your head?” She asked, chastising him.

EZ was staring at her with unchecked admiration. “I really don’t know.”

Connie realized she didn’t stop at that road she didn’t want to cross with EZ. She was on a roll, the sign was covered, it was dark, the lights were shit. She might have blown through the intersection. And the intersection was the one she expressly told herself she wanted to be aware of. The one she wanted to control this _one_ time. She put her hands on his face, because there was little else for her to grab cradled in his arms, and because she was an opportunist. He held one of her hands to his face and Connie nearly started crying. How in God’s name was she supposed to not have sex with him. She could still get out of this. If she wanted to be stubborn and firm on something like Lydia. Like Lydia. If Lydia could hold out for as long as did on a man who looked at her like the sun was made for her and only her and the rest of the world just got to experience it due to closeness to her, if Lydia could make that guy wait for fifteen years and counting, Connie could stop herself for once.

Connie clamored out of his arms before she lost her nerve but didn’t go far sitting on her knees in front of him. “Look my sister has always told me when I’m in trouble to make friends with the closest person with a gun, then the best shooter, then the best person and then eventually the boss. The boss has a thing for my sister so I’ve got some immunity I could test out with him which is cool cause the one I do like is the newest one and I know better than to link up with the new guy but I couldn’t help myself. No one else here actually gives a shit if I live or not, only because Bishop tells them to, you actually wanted to be my friend. And I just want to help, while I’m here.” She rambled on, resting her hand on his knee.

EZ smiled and dropped his head down to her hand he was holding and pressed a kiss to her hand. “I want to be your friend Connie.” He said earnestly before looking back at her. “Constance,” he corrected himself once he made eye contact.

Connie had heard a few men say her full name. Not many. But EZ always said it like a prayer. Like this was a holy word he was saying. She wasn’t going to do well not sleeping with him if this was how he was going to say her name. He said it often. He used it to be sincere. Connie was good but not good enough. She had always hated her full name when she was younger and into her late teens. Who in their right mind wants to be called Constance in middle and high school? But once she was free of those places and the very few years she spent suffering under having the name she realized she might grow to like it. Not to be called that every day of her life, but special occasions, or maybe just for EZ.

She straightened herself up, getting lost in EZ’s eyes was the fastest way to find trouble and held her hand out. “I promise to be your best and closest friend while I’m here.” She said firmly.

Taking her hand, she shook his firmly, like she did with his father like it sealed her promise. “Whats that mean for me?” He asked amused.

“I will do my best to not be a pain and very efficient at whatever tasks I need to complete while I’m here. And I’ll listen and you’ll know I’ll never say anything, I’ll lock all of this away and never talk about it again.” She swore, gripping his hand as she said it.

There was a fear in her eyes when she said it, but not for herself. She was afraid for him. EZ felt a pang in his gut at the thought of her not being there for him again. “What do you get out of it?” He asked curiously.

“A friend,” She answered easily.

“Seems like a shitty bargain.” He said with a chuckle.

“Only if you’re a shitty friend.” She countered with her arms crossing her chest.

Connie had a point. He didn’t want to be shitty friend. Not for the limited time he had with her. “I’ll endeavor not to be.” He promised.

“That's a powerful word, EZ.” She commented.

He nodded. “I don’t use it lightly.”

The fondness was back in his eyes and Connie had to look away. She looked down at her hands as she picked at her finger nails. “I’m sorry I showed up at such a hard time in your life.”

He shook his head, with a smile. “Nah, I think you showed up when I need you.” He said reaching out to tap her chin.

She looked up at him and sighed. “I might have needed you too.” She conceded.

“So, you ever gonna tell me your secrets?” He asked curiously. She didn’t need to. He would never make her do something like that. But he wanted her to trust him like he trusted her.

“They aren’t just mine. But I want to.” She said desperately.

He could see all the secrets hiding in her eyes. All the pain and fear. She just wanted everyone safe and he’d help her however she needed. “That's enough for me.”


	7. Undone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN: I've got a little bit of block on what to write between this point and how I want this this to end but I've got some ideas. I've been writing more in other WIP I have started, not ones that actually need to be finished. The standard for a fanfic writer I guess. Thanks again for reading, enjoy!

Chapter Seven

Undone

After a night of releasing his demons, the rest of the day with Connie was the most fun EZ had in years. They had free run of the yard but Connie didn’t want to go outside. She hadn’t burned yet and she didn’t want to press her luck, so they stayed inside, lounging and reading. Until Connie got bored and then they played cards. There wasn’t much else to do but the rotation worked well until it was getting close to when the MC had to leave. EZ had told Connie about the plan, he didn’t tell her it was Russians or what the actual end goal was, just that they were leaving and when.

Uninterrupted time with EZ was a blessing and a curse to Connie. He calmed her down, leveled her out, and thought she was the funniest thing in the world. Anyone could get used to that feeling, but Connie didn’t have the luxury. She did all that she could to enjoy whatever time she was going to get with EZ before it was over. Before Lydia came to collect her or she got shipped into Mexico. She couldn’t think about the fork in her life at the moment. It was still completely out of her control and days away. She had more time to spend with EZ.

It was nearly half past six when the RV door flung open and Bishop stomped in. Connie and EZ were back to reading in silence, EZ was sitting like he normally did, with his elbows resting on the table and Connie was leaning against him with her legs curled up to her chest with a book resting on her knees. It was peaceful, that wasn’t something EZ had often.

Bishop saw how Connie’s eyes filled with a panic before realizing who it was, he felt a little guilty about busting in so loudly. “We need to leave.” He said with a nod out of the RV. Connie glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed, putting the book down and standing so that EZ could slide out from the bench. Bishop looked at Connie with a pointed finger. “You need to stay here. Do not leave this RV until he gets back. Do you understand?” He said slowly.

“Is it about Lydia?” Connie asked suspiciously.

Bishop shook his head. “No, this is our mess.” He said easily. Just because the Russians were involved didn’t mean it was Lydia. Even though he knew in his gut that it did.

Connie sighed. “I know you wouldn’t tell me even if it was. I’m not going anywhere. I’m a coward.”

“I think you’re just more practical then you give yourself credit for.” Bishop offered instead. He didn’t want her of herself as a coward, she wasn’t that at all.

“Alright, get outta here before you get too touchy-feely.” Connie said swatting Bishop away before she got emotional, like she always did.

“Whose numbers you got?” Bishop asked before he was distracted.

“The MC’s.” She answered easily.

Bishop pulled out the business card Marcus had made with limited information but it had his number and that's all he needed at the moment. “This is a number for Marcus Alvarez, he’s head of security for the Galindo cartel and he’s my cousin. If you do not hear back from us by sunrise, you call him.” He said firmly.

Connie heard the name Galindo and she knew who he was. The MC had talked about him. She knew about him from Lydia’s life. She knew what he did. She saw what he looked like. She saw him and his wife in Felipe’s shop. She would rather wander the desert, blind, deaf and dumb then call the Galindo cartel for help. “Fine,” she said as she accepted the number and put it in her pocket. She knew where they kept the high powered weapons, she’d do what she needed to if she had to.

Bishop saw something in her eye that didn’t trust what he told her. But he didn’t have time. They needed to get moving, he turned and left the RV.

EZ went to follow Bishop but Connie grabbed his arm. “Hey,” She said quietly. He turned back to her, stepping close so no one outside the RV could hear them, looking down at her. “Shitty friends get themselves killed, don’t be a shitty friend.” She said seriously.

There was a concern in her eye that she had when Lydia was leaving. She was just as worried about him as she was her sister. He didn’t want to disappoint her, he didn’t know if he could. “I won’t be a shitty friend.” He promised as he squeezed her hand before bringing it to his lips to kiss her knuckles quickly.

She let out a breath and nodded, accepting his promise and let go of his hand.

Angel poked his head into the RV and grabbed EZ by his shoulder and pulled him out. “Time to go,” Angel ordered quickly before he slipped into the spot his little brother had been standing in. “Bishop gave you Alvarez’s number.” Angel said to Connie quietly. It wasn’t a question.

She could see the look in Angel’s eye. He didn’t trust Marcus like Bishop did. Connie could see there was some history between Galindo and the Reyes men and probably the MC and it was better for her to stay out of it at the moment. “I don’t intend to use it.” She told him.

Angel pulled out a small hand gun from his kutte and passed it to her. “Please don’t shoot yourself while we’re gone.” He said seriously, leaning forward to kiss the crown of her head while she took the gun and put it in the back of her waist band.

Once Angel saw the gun was out of sight, he left the RV and Connie followed, waving out the door. “Don’t die!” She called out.

Angel waved her off while Coco and Gilly laughed and waved back at her. “What was that about?” EZ asked suspiciously when his brother walked through the gate.

“Just checking on the girl, dang.” Angel answered offended.

Bishop had been too distracted looking at his phone to reprimand the Reyes’ for delaying them. He looked at his last message from Lydia. Still no news. They were going to her town now. He knew he should tell her but he was feeling spiteful. If she wasn’t going to give him any information then why would he. There was a sick feeling that settled in his gut and he knew he’d pay for his choice at some point during all this.

Finally accepting his action, or rather his inaction, Bishop pocketed his phone and looked up at his waiting MC. “Alright, I want quiet and stealthy on this, I don’t want them to so much as smell us.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Lets go.” Bishop declared as he mounted his motorcycle.

The ride was calm. Only Bishop, Hank, Taza and Angel rode. The rest were in the van with Creeper. Four motorcycles didn’t draw as much attention as eight. Hank already mapped out multiple ways to get to the warehouse without being seen. Once they were off the highway they too back roads before ending up on a dirt road that led them to a hill side, cutting through it but with limited visibility. They parked the van and the bikes among some rocks near the road, hidden for the most part with easy access to leave if they needed to. Coco stayed behind, having only one good eye still didn’t make for good shots. Bishop didn’t need one of his guys getting hit by friendly fire.

They all wore black, left their kuttes in the van, with black leather gloves, black beanies and strapped themselves with weapons. Once they were armed, with backup ammo, they slowly made their way down the road, it was a pinch point that would kill them if anyone was watching. Through the hills there was more desert, and the dirt road leading to a building that leaned to the left too much and had half a roof. There were scattered rusted cars, old factory equipment and other stacks of rusted metal all around. There was no reason anyone would want to go there. It was a good place to avoid being seen.

Bishop stopped them before they cleared the hills and he sent Angel and EZ ahead to take out the scouts watching the road. Both kills were quiet, they turned off their radios, left the bodies hidden and motioned for the rest of the MC to follow. They abandoned the road once they made it through the hill, staying low in the brush to avoid being seen. There were three SUVs outside of the warehouse and at least a few inside. It looked like there was a bonfire going inside of the building as the walls were filled with holes from the old sheet metal rusting. Everyone knew their part to play and once they got to the point Bishop deemed, they split up.

Taza and Bishop went around the back, Angel and EZ took the right side and Gilly, Hank and Creeper quietly made their way through the front. The left side of the warehouse was surrounded in junked cars and scrap metal, with no point of entry. The warehouse was larger than it looked from when they approached it. Hank gave the SUV’s a wide berth and made the other two do the same. They went to the far left corner of the building and approached from low along the wall. It didn’t take long before they could hear talking. The accent was thick and Hank couldn’t tell if it was English or Russian and he didn’t care much. They found the agreed upon point and waited for Bishop’s signal.

Hank did his best to poke around and see how many guys he could clock. So far he was to twelve and he was getting nervous. The MC had some high powered guns but the Russians weren’t packing Super-Soakers. They were waiting for the transfer of the product, the crates in the middle of the warehouse, about twenty feet away from the bonfire. Two men were talking, not loud enough for Hank to hear before there was a loud crash from the back of the warehouse. All of the men inside reacted by pulling out their guns and approaching the noise. Hank almost chuckled and shook his head, they never learned.

Creeper went in first, low and ducked into a corner, Gilly followed and then Hank. In the far left corner they crouched and waited for the men to return, they had already assumed it was an animal and were walking back to the bonfire, on edge. They were supposed to wait until the second signal, until there was a gunshot. Hank looked up and over his right shoulder to see familiar auburn hair flash for a moment and a dead Russian at his feet before Gilly took off after the shooter and all hell broke loose.

Lydia had been waiting in the building for nearly an hour. The explosives were set, she was just waiting for the timer to get closer before she left. And then she heard the sounds that distracted the men she was watching and she watched as three Mayan’s slipped into the building. Immediately she started looking for Bishop, but she could only see the men in front of her. She knew it was Hank, Gilly and Creeper. She had information on all of them but only the basics and that they were part of Bishop’s club, they were very important to him. They were protecting Connie. She wasn’t going to let anything happen to them.

A stray scout slipped inside the building, his gun drawn at Hank, ready to fire. Lydia took her hand gun and aimed as true as she ever had before and fired. A clean shot to the back, taking out the scout and beginning chaos. Lydia took off running. There was a hole in the siding on the second floor and jumped out with all of her momentum and ran away from the road, into the desert, hoping to draw out the MC. Gunshots fired loudly inside the warehouse almost immediately. She glanced over her shoulder to see Ivan and his men get into his SUV before taking off while the others tried to stay behind for the drugs and guns they had just purchased. She cursed under her breath and turned her head to see Gilly trying to catch up to her with Hank and EZ following close behind. It was too dark to see others. The gunshots had stopped firing in the building. She took her gun and fired it into the air to get more attention and from the dim light at the entrance she looked back over her shoulder and saw the rest running after Gilly.

Seeing the rest of the club catching up in the distance, she turned around to face Gilly, throwing the gun far ahead of her and holding her hands in the air. Gilly wasn’t far behind her and had a 9mil pointed straight at her, he was not going to hesitate to kill her.

He slowed down and kicked the gun she had discarded farther away before inching closer. “Bishop knows me!” Lydia called out as she dropped to her knees, keeping her hands in the air.

Gilly laughed and grabbed Lydia by a fistful of hair and yanked her back to her feet and started pushing her toward the rest of the MC. “Presidente knows a lot of pussy, honey.” He cackled as he continued forcing her toward the other Mayans.

It was dark and everyone was still far but two forms were closing in and Lydia recognized EZ first, he wasn’t too far ahead of Hank. EZ realized quickly that Gilly had a fist of Lydia’s hair in one hand and a gun pointed directly at her skull in the other.

“Gilly!-” EZ shouted getting ready to launch himself at Gilly to get Lydia out of his hold before Bishop saw. But Lydia shook her head at him as much as she could, this was how it was going to play out. The club would ask him questions about knowing her and Connie would get pulled in and she didn’t need that right now.

“She said Presidente knows her, might have to know her myself you know what I mean.” Gilly said over his shoulder as Angel caught up and laughed at what he said.

“I am saying this purely for your benefit, please let go of my hair.” Lydia begged quietly. Gilly was not aware of what he was doing and was definitely just doing what he was taught to do in the club, she as running away from that mess of a scene with a gun. She was a threat and Gilly was not supposed to let that threat have an inch.

Gilly pulled back harder on her hair and Lydia only winced in acceptance. She did what she could for him. Before Gilly could make another move the rest of the pounding footsteps descended and a booming voice made everything stop.

“Let her go, Gilly!” Bishop bellowed so loud in Spanish and with such malice Gilly almost pissed himself on the spot.

Letting go of Lydia like she burned his flesh, Gilly took several steps away from her. “I’m sorry, Jefe.” Gilly said fearfully as he held his hands up and away.

Bishop didn’t give a shit what Gilly had to say at the moment, he was boring his eyes into Lydia as she straightened herself out. He walked right up into her space to make sure none of the crew could see her around him. He felt his whole body shaking with a visceral reaction he hadn’t felt in a long time. Seeing Gilly, his club member, holding a gun to Lydia’s temple set something off inside him and he struggled to hold it in.

His hands hadn’t stopped shaking and he had to do something with them before they did anything on their own. To Lydia or to Gilly or even to himself. Lydia was trying to fix her hair but she winced any time she moved one of her shoulders. He took hold of her face with one hand and smoothed out her hair with the other. “What the fuck did I say about giving me updates?” He ground out as he tried to compose himself while carefully tending to her hair.

Lydia was tired, she was annoyed. There was a headache looming after Gilly lead her around by her hair. She wasn’t in the mood to delicately handle things. “I just found out about this place two hours ago, you all would have been on the road here, would you have answered?” She snapped at him as she burrowed her face against his hand. She was annoyed but she still wanted to be held at the moment. It was the only thing keeping her headache from getting worse.

Bishop stopped what he was doing and held her face close. “I’ll always answer, querida.” He answered in a whisper to her. Not even the wind was allowed to hear this.

Lydia never understood why people assumed she didn’t make mistakes, because she did and not rarely. She was just very good and manipulating the situation to make the mistake work for her. But sometimes she couldn’t, sometimes she messed up so bad she couldn’trecover. And this was a big mistake. She promised him she would give him updates and she had only texted him twice. Because he prodded her for information. She wasn’t keeping her promise. She had never worked like this before and it was harder than she assumed. She was used to Connie following her rules but Bishop wasn’t going to be pushed around.

Lydia glanced over Bishops shoulder to the men waiting expectantly behind their leader. EZ looked petrified among the confused faces. And Bishop just looked hurt. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I should have told you, I could have hurt someone.” She sighed, reaching up to hold tight to his collar, pulling him toward her and rested her forehead on his chin.

Hearing Lydia apologize, admit she was wrong and feel remorse for possibly hurting someone when one of his guys nearly blew her brains out in front of him, didn’t sit right. She wasn’t wrong but he wasn’t right either. He knew he’d pay for his choice and he nearly paid with Lydia’s life. The sick feeling in his stomach didn’t settle having her in his hands, alive, not dead. The image of a Mayan gun pressed to her head wasn’t going to leave him for some time.

Leaning forward, Bishop pressed his lips to her forehead. His hands finally regained control and he stood straight, brushing her face with his thumbs for just an extra second before dropping his hands andshaking his head. “Its your turf, I knew I was coming to LA, I should have warned you.” He admitted. Even if he had the right to be angry at her, he couldn’t be. Not at the moment.

An alarm went off on her phone, making it vibrate and she looked down to see the last alarm for the bombs. They had about a minute to be clear of the building. “Are all of your guys here?” She asked quickly, looking around Bishop to look for the club members she knew about.

Bishop glanced around, counting them up like he imagined school teachers had to. All of them were there. “Yeah, why?”

“Where are your bikes?” She asked ignoring his question.

Bishop was worried. “Down the road.” He answered warily.

The explosion started small before the rest of the charges went of and the building was surrounded in an explosion, the sound of metal crumpling. The whole point of the deal was to get supply, which was still in there with most of the bodies of the men they killed that night, off of the market. Mission accomplished. The club would have enjoyed watching it more if they weren’t so worried about what Bishop was going to do next.

Bishop turned to look back at Lydia with a face of exhaustion. “We gotta go.” Lydia said with a nervous smile. Taza ordered everyone to leave after Bishop gave him the nod, only Hank stayed behind, but far enough away to keep their conversation private for the moment.

“Where is your ride?” Bishop asked, holding tight to her arm when she tried to pull away.

Lydia glanced back to the warehouse, she had parked a tiny dirt bike just against the outside wall, and had left it when she realized she needed to lure the Mayans away from the building that was going to explode. “Unavailable, town isn’t far I know my way out of here. Go.” She pressed him.

“Hank!” Bishop called out.

Lydia looked at Bishop, still annoyed and still wanted to be touched by him, but he was supposed to just do what she wanted. She wanted to say something to counter him but he had pulled her so close she was getting what she wanted, to be touched by him.

Hank walked up to Bishop not long later. “You are going to take Lydia where ever she needs to go. Lay low on the back roads back home.” Bishop said to Hank but was looking at Lydia as he said it. Hank would listen to orders, Lydia was the one who needed to be pressed.

“Will do.” Hank said firmly and waited for Lydia.

Lydia realized she was going to have to be much firmer with Bishop in front of the lone club member remaining but Bishop held his finger up between them and pushed it to her lips before she even started her rebuttal. “Do not argue with me. I know the other side of this right now, they’re going to be combing the desert and I know you’re lucky but just give me this peace of mind.” He was ready to beg if he had to. Bishop wasn’t able to feel shame at the moment, he was too desperate.

Glancing over at Hank, he was calmly waiting for her to accept her fate and Lydia realized she was going to be on the motorcycle on her own or otherwise. “Alright,”

“I want to know when you’re safe.” Bishop wasn’t asking. This was an order.

“I will call you when I’m safe.” She confirmed.

Bishop went ahead to rejoin the MC to clear the area first while Hank waited behind before he made it a few yards ahead of them. Hank could tell that Bishop didn’t want her anymore exposed to the club then she already had been. By the time they made it down the road and cleared the hill they could only see the tail lights of the van.

When they reached Hank’s bike there was a passenger helmet waiting for her. Hank reached for his phone his in pocket to pull up his preferred map application while she took the helmet and put it on. “Where to?”

Hank was not a man of many words. He was a man of action. It was important to him that his actions spoke for him. He had been around Bishop for years but when he finally saw who Gilly was holding onto, he had never seen Bishop act like that before. Whoever she was, she was important enough for him to lose his facade in front of the club. And who the club saw scared the shit out of them. They had seen him fight Angel to the ground. Watched Bishop take down some of the biggest idiots to ever try to fight him. But they weren’t ever scared of what came next while they watched it happen. They were secure. They knew what side of the line they all fell on. That's why hearing how he spoke to Gilly made all of them turn back into little boys that were ready to get scolded by their father. Far more than an ass-whooping was on the line.

Hank was the first person to understand that Lydia ranked at least with the club but he was starting to see that there was a level she had on her own. It didn’t have another name, he hadn’t seen him act this way with any of his family or any other piece of ass from the past. This woman though, she had a protocol that she needed to be handled by if they all wanted to stay on Bishop’s good side. Her safety was very important, if not most important to Bishop. If Gilly had accidentally misfired or just decided to shoot her for fun, Bishop would have been a different man come sunrise and Gilly would have been as well or buried in the desert. Hank didn’t even want to imagine the sight of her blood, his mother was superstitious and always told him if he could see it then it could happen. Not that bad things didn’t happen, but if you let yourself see them in your mind, they always seemed to happen then. Eventually.

The address he gave her was in a warehouse district in LA, it was nothing but chop shops, garages, and counter-fit warehouses. The words safe weren’t used with the area. When they reached the corner of a dead street that looked the definition of unsavory she attempted to convince him she was safe.

“This is great, thank you Hank.” Lydia said as she swung off the motorcycle and stood close by.

Hank looked at the one flickering street light, every door and window at ground level had bars on it. There were street cats wandering around. Overflowing garbage cans on the sidewalk. Scattered individuals were curled up in the shadows along the buildings. There wasn’t a safe detail Hank could find. “I’ll walk you in.” He said getting ready to kick the stand for his motorcycle.

Lydia put her hand on Hanks on his handlebars. “I’m a grown woman, I can handle myself.” She said firmly, but politely.

“Being able to lay explosives is impressive and all, but I follow my orders. This ain’t safe.” Hank said shaking his head.

“Look, this is my town and I get that you think its not safe but this is very much where I needed to go and I’m not walking you into my safehouse. What will make you believe I belong here?” She asked crossing her arms over her chest.

“Prove it, talk to those guys on the corner.” Hank said nodding to the two men leaning against the wall across the street.

Lydia look scandalized as she leaned closed to him. “Hank, get some prescriptions on, those are cops.”

Hank looked at the feet of the men to see the black, ugly, polished, chunky shoes. “Its always the shoes.” He cursed.

“Look. I’m even safer now, Los Angeles’ finest just waiting for the sniff of danger to shoot it.” She said sarcastic and unimpressed.

Hank thought he heard Connie for a moment and then his eyes narrowed on that auburn hair in the street light. “Whats your name again?” He asked curiously.

She almost answered without hesitation. “Lets stick to Lydia for the moment.” She said with a forced smile.

“Alright, at least tell me you took the gun from me.” Hank said uncomfortably. He didn’t want to return to Bishop without at least some confidence she was armed.

“Of course I did. Hank, I need you to know I was going to return it until I saw the shoes.” She said trying to convey her apology without actually being sorry, because she clearly wasn’t. He appreciated that she didn’t want to lie to him.

Hank chuckled. He didn’t even need to hear her name to know this was Connie’s sister. He pulled out his phone and texted Bishop that Lydia was safe and he was leaving the area. “I expect it back.” Hank said as he put his phone back in his pocket.

She smiled a little before biting her cheek and forcing a serious nod. “I can have something arranged.” She said airily. Hank was almost excited to see how the gun was going to be returned to him. “Thank you again,” She said gently with a small wave as she took a step away from the motorcycle.

Hank nodded. “Stay safe,”

Hank wasn’t sure he should have driven straight back but there was something that told him he was safe. There were no signs that told him otherwise. He kept to the back roads and barely hit a red light or anyone that didn’t turn fairly soon after he fell behind them on the road. Once he was back in Santo Padre city limits, he pulled off the road to reach out to Bishop, it was nearly midnight. He decided to text him first, telling him he made it back to Santo Padre and was going to the clubhouse before getting on the road.

Riding into Romero Brothers, Chucky was waiting to let him in and Hank knew everyone was waiting. He parked his bike and the whole clubhouse rushed out.

Angel got to him first. “He’s been in Templo, alone, since we got back and its freaking us the fuck out.Who is she?” He whispered as he pushed Coco out of the way.

Hank pushed past all of them and went to Templo. The door wasn’t closed but Bishop was at his seat, a cigarette in his hands and two open packs on the table. They must have been back for a while. Hank waited at the doorway.

“Everyone in.” Bishop called out.

Hank walked through first to take his seat, Taza next and the rest of the club sat and waited whiled Bishop chain smoked the rest of his cigarette and lit up a new one.

“Before we start this, Hank tell me.” Bishop asked ready to pull his hair out dealing with that woman.

Hank ignored all of the eyes that fell on him and looked only at Bishop. He was spinning the ring on his middle finger and nervously turning the cigarette in his other hand. Lydia hadn’t called him yet.“She wouldn’t let me near her safe house, but she stole my gun while we rode and there were cops staking out the corner I left her at.” Hank answered honestly.

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Bishop hissed. He was getting ready to break. She wasn’t going to stop doing all that she could to keep him away from this. But now it was different. The lines had intersected. “I didn’t want this to land on the club but this took a dump on us.”

“The explosions made it look good though.” Angel tried to say diplomatically. He was just on edge as EZ was about what happened to Dita and his own issues with the Fed’s and his son. He was willing to do what was needed to keep Bishop clear from that, and happy.

“Shut up Angel,” Bishop said tired.

Angel leaned forward across the table and looked at Bishop seriously. “Bish, you have put up with a lot of our shit. Like a lot. If my Presidente needs something, I’m here for him, no matter what.” He said sincerely.

“We all are, Bishop.” EZ agreed and the rest of the table followed.

“You’re all fucking saps.” Bishop snapped but felt relief start to flow through him. “I’m putting it to the table. You all decide, I was a fucking idiot to think I could keep all this shit separate.” He said shaking his head before taking a long drag of his cigarette. “Lydia was from a different time in my life, and I owe her, a lot. Connie is her sister, I ordered EZ to make a cover and sit on her.” He explained easily, with the amount of detail needed and nothing more.

Everyone looked at EZ and he looked guilty and shrugged a little. “So, what shit is she in, exactly?” Angel asked curiously.

“Connie’s birthday party was interrupted by Russians, they executed her boyfriend in the VIP lounge and almost took her out too. She got away and got to her sister. Lydia called me.” Bishop answered succinctly.

EZ had just spend the past few days with Connie, watching her, working with her, living with her and still the answer surprised him. He understood what she meant now. It wasn’t her secrets to tell. She had been through so much, still going through it and still managed to make time to keep him from falling apart. He felt like he owed Connie now, more than he could repay in a week.

“She had her boyfriend murdered in front of her on her birthday? And you made her work yard shifts?” Taza asked almost disapproving.

“Yes,” Bishop said firmly and easily. Stow’s could not be left to idle when stressed, that was a recipe for disaster. “She can handle it.” He said unwavering in his decision.

“She can.” EZ confirmed.

“Lydia is trying to get the hit on Connie and probably herself as well, cleared.” Bishop added, running his hand over his mouth

“How the hell is she supposed to do that?” Taza asked bewildered.

“I wouldn’t underestimate her.” Hank said as a clear warning to the others, letting his eyes rest on Gilly who still looked ready to piss himself at any moment.

“Bishop, she can’t do that shit alone. She’ll get killed.” Angel said panicking over a woman he barely met and was totally okay with Gilly shooting before he knew who she was. He was attached to Connie already, like a little sister and knowing her sister was in trouble made him feel like it was his duty to help her.

“She asked me not to get involved. Expressly. But its too messy now. Put it to a vote.” Bishop said resolute.

“What are we voting on?” Creeper asked confused.

“If they stay.” Bishop answered.

“We already voted on that, Connie is safe here.” Taza said firmly.

“We vote on if we help our Presidente.” Angel said before anyone else did.

The yea’s were swift and without hesitation. Bishop almost felt like crying. He worked hard to make sure his club respected and loved him. He didn’t want to rule with fear. He wanted their respect and he wanted their loyalty and that's what he had. This was his family, his tribe. In her own way, so was Lydia.

There were hands that pressed to the glass and soft knocking. “You saw her? Is she okay? Did she look hurt? Tell me she didn’t use explosives on her own. She’s missing a piece of a finger from the last time she tried to cut C4 with a cheese knife.” Connie yelled, clearly and loudly.

“How did she know?” Taza asked confused, looking around the table.

“I didn’t even know she was awake.” EZ answered to the table when some eyes fell on him.

“Someone rode with her, I can smell her perfume, tell me if she’s okay goddammit!” She answered Taza’s question through the door.

After the night he had, Bishop wanted as much peace as he could get and the easiest way to get it was answer the youngest Stow. He looked at EZ sitting at the end of the table and nodded at the door. EZ stood and opened the door. Connie looked frantic but didn’t cross the threshold. “She’s fine, Hank took her somewhere safe.” Bishop confirmed.

Connie glanced at Hank who nodded at her with a soft look on his face before she cleared her throat and straightened herself up. “Thank you,” She said attempting to appear calm before turning and leaving.

EZ moved to follow her, seeing her eyes still filled with concern. “EZ,” Bishop called out before he could leave Templo. EZ watched Connie walk out of the clubhouse before turning back to Bishop who had walked closer to him and patted him firmly on his shoulder. “You followed orders, for once in your fucking life.” Bishop grumbled before walking out of Templo, taking his phone from the basket and walking outside.

Angel walked up to him chuckling. “A goddamn miracle.”

“Angel, I’m so sorry. Bishop said I couldn’t tell anyone.” EZ said pleadingly.

The Reyes brothers had been through more than enough in their time in the club and even before then. Angel knew if he wanted to be happy, he had to learn to forgive his brother for behind human. They were both committed to the club now, that meant listening and following orders.

“EZ, relax. He does that shit to all of us. You are part of the tribe little brother, that means you follow your Presidente’s orders. And you did.” Angel said proudly. “Don’t leave her alone.” he said nodding after Connie. EZ rushed out of the clubhouse and followed Connie back to the RV.

Connie was already inside, sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, crying. EZ went to her side with a guilty look. “I didn’t know about the Russians, I would have told you if I knew.” He swore.

She shook her head. “I’m not mad at you. I’m just emotional, its who I am.” She said sniffling, wiping her nose on her hand. EZ reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “Was she really okay?” She asked quietly.

EZ nodded. “Gilly handled her a little rough but she was fine. I thought Bishop would kill him.” He answered, still stunned by how Bishop reacted, even though he knew her.

“Whatever they had just doesn’t end.” She said almost like an explanation.

EZ felt unsettled by what she said, feeling her words hit too close. “I guess not.”


End file.
